Salute Your Shorts!
by DollieMay 19
Summary: Half 1 is a bunch of oneshots about the preteen HamHumans at summer camp during the midninties. Half 2, Ten years after the campers depart, they meet again. Troubles arise and wars are made when feelings get hurt or are not exposed. Mainly humor DISCONT.
1. Intro

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the show Hamtaro. Just like absolute power, it would be neat. XD

Chapter One: Introducing...

Hamtaro's POV

Summer camp starts today! I'm so excited! A new adventure! Yippee! I hope some of the gang comes, but if nobody shows up, I'm sure I'll meet others. Maybe they can come to meet all my friends at the club! That would be neat. I hope none of them live too far away, though. I hear kids from all over the United States go to this camp. I guess we can always keep in touch by letters, right? Hey! Speaking of friends, there's Sandy! I wonder where Stan is...

The patterned red-head dashed over to the honey blonde. She twirled her big pink ribbon furiously as she spun on her tennis shoes' heels. As was Hamtaro, Sandy was extremely anxious and ready for a summer full of fun and adventure, also lots of physical activity as well. She didn't notice him walking up to her until she nearly fell. Hamtaro caught her in mid-tumble and was slapped in the face with her bristly side ponytail.

"Oh. Hey, Hamtaro! Thanks! I can be like, so clumsy sometimes," she said, sweat dropping.

"That's okay. Where's your brother?" Hamtaro asked.

"Dunno. I think he's with our dad," Sandy replied.

"Oh. She's a cute one." Hamtaro heard as Stan's father pointed to another female camper.

"Daaaaad," Stan whined. "You're so embarrassing!" he looked at the girl again. "You really think?"

"Yeah, man! And she's totally checking you out!"

"Ugh, pops...? It's because you're pointing at her."

"...Oh."

Maxwell's POV

I've read books about camping, camps, the occasional bear-repellant encyclopedia, but I've never actually been to a camp. In fact, I've never even slept outside before. This will be new. I better take lots of notes. The only reason I'm here is because my cousin invited me... in person. Over the phone wouldn't have been so bad, but when we visited her apartment for their Christmas party, those sad brown eyes pleaded at me- beckoned me to go, and mom didn't help either. She just _had_ to waltz her way over and say, 'Maxwell would have a wonderful time.' then turn to me and say, 'plus, you and Candace never get to see each other since we moved. It would be a nice time to bond.' Ugh. My fate was sealed. So, here I am at Camp Greenwich, five and a half miles north of Washington, D.C. ...

"A phanny pack?" someone scoffed from behind.

"It's full of medical supplies in case someone gets hurt," Maxwell snapped.

"Max, take it easy!" they giggled.

"Oh. Hey, Candace."

"Max! Duuuuude!" someone shouted from a distance.

"Oh boy," Maxwell groaned, smiling.

"Who was that?" Candace asked.

"Max! C'mon! The gang's all here, man!"

'The others came?' "Alright! Hold on! I'll be there in a minute!" He turned around and grabbed Candace's hand and led her down the hill. "I want you to meet some friends of mine," he told her. She smiled.

The Hams stood at the bottom of the hill and finally saw Maxwell. Somebody was with him. As they descended, the others noticed it was a girl about most of the group's age- twelve, fourteen. Sandy became slightly jealous at seeing the two holding hands. Maxwell walked over to them, made a weird hand gesture with Stan, and pointed out the strange girl everyone had gawked at.

"This is my cousin, everyone. Her name's Candace." Random greetings were murmured to her. Sandy silently sighed.

"Want a piece of gum?" Cappy offered. She looked down at the nine-year-old, smiling. A glint came from her mouth.

"No thanks. I got hardware," she replied politely, smiling and pointing to her bracketed teeth. Braces. Every kid's worst nightmare.

"Ouch!" Boss, Stan and Howdy said appreciatively, chuckling along with Candace.

"Aww! Look, a doggy ookwee!" Penelope dashed over to the dog.

"Penny, wait!" Pashmina yelled to her. Penelope stopped and turned around.

"What?" Pashmina had a skeptic look on as she pointed to the dog.

Its tail did not wag. Its ears were pinned back. Something did _not_ seem right. Its black glaring eyes continued staring and its lips began to curl in a snarl. Penelope backed up as a growl was heard from deep within its throat.

"Ugh...Nice doggy..." Boss said slowly, snatching the small girl before the dog could lunge.

It tried to jump but stopped in mid-leap, yelping. The canine retreated to the woods nearby, howling in pain. Leaving a trail of blood from its left front paw as the group stood in absolute stupor and looked around at one another. Maxwell cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention.

"I once read someplace that animals who are hurt become very defensive so as to not have any more harm done to them."

"So, it was afraid?" Dexter asked.

"It shouldn't be afraid of _us_! We're a nice bunch," Hamtaro added.

"But the dog doesn't know that," Maxwell replied.

"Oh..." some of the Hams looked down.

"Poor thing..." Pashmina cooed.

"What kind of dog was it?" Panda asked. "It looked like a Dalmatian to me, but its spots were golden."

"That's quite odd. I was thinking the same thing," Maxwell said. "Hmmmm..."

"Hmmmm..."

"I say we help it!" Hamtaro began to run into the woods.

"Hamtaro!" said a motherly voice from afar.

"Uh-oh. He's in for it now," Stan said and chuckled with Howdy.

"Eep. Yeah, Mom...?"

"What do you think you're doing, young man? I don't want my little boy lost on his first day of camp," she said in a gushy, baby-talk voice that made the others laugh and Hamtaro turn red up to his Ham-Human ears. "Now, come here and give Mommy a goodbye kiss."

"Mooooom!" Hamtaro groaned as her lips stamped his cheek with coral pink.

"Children, all of your families are at the main office building to tell you goodbye," she told the gang.

They walked down the driveway and met up with their families for the last time until July twenty first. Hugs were spread around from everybody's parents as some cried, others rejoiced and few did neither.

"Ooh. Forget what I said about the girl earlier, _that_ one is cute!" Mr. Williams pointed to the brunette standing by Mr. and Mrs. Edwards and some gray man.

"Dad! That's Max's cousin!"

"Max? Your little buddy from school?"

"Yes, _Max_, my little buddy from school," Stan replied in a biting tone.

"Cool! Maybe you could ask him to hook you up, bro!"

"NO! Stop trying to give me advice on ladies! I'm only twelve for the Lord's sake!"

"Sheesh! Take it easy!"

"I will when you stop trying to act cool." He stomped away from his father.

"He's just trying not to miss us. He'll be crying on the phone by next week, you'll see," Mrs. Williams consoled her frowning husband as they walked to the car.

Later that afternoon, the counselors called all the kids in to play a name game to get to know each other. Each kid had to say their name and then something they liked that started with the same letter of it.

"Je m'appelle, Bijou and I like bows," the French Ham said, fiddling with her pigtails.

"My name's Jesse and I like juice."

"My name's Stan and I like...Pass. It's not camp appropriate." Laughter filled the room. Sandy sweat dropped, only imagining what her twin was about to say.

"Um...Let's have a round of questions!" the main counselor said, clapping, to change the subject. Maxwell raised his hand. "Yes?"

"What's wrong with your dog?"

"Dog? Camp Greenwich only has one pet and that's Bruno, the goldfish in the main office. It could belong to one of the neighboring homes on this road...Any others?" Campers all around raised their hands high in the air. Maxwell and the others gave troubled looks to each other.

The groups of campers were led around the sites by the counselors. The Hams' next stop was the infirmary, where blood curdling yelps could be heard. They walked in to investigate.

A petite brunette scuttled across the room with a wet, soap covered rag. She was attending to the strange dog from earlier. She pressed the towel on the pup's leg and it yelped again, beginning to snap, but never once bit the girl. She shushed it gently, trying to soothe the ailing creature as it whimpered and growled even more when she took off its overly-wide collar with strange red tags to check its information. The tags were blank except for a very faint printed name which she could only make out two c's towards the end.

"Hey, Josie!" the leader said.

"Josie?" Stan and Sandy said, wide-eyed. "We haven't seen you in forever!" she began to run up to them but stopped short.

"I'd hug you, but I'm kinda covered in blood at the moment," she said apologetically.

"Where have you been? Your dad's ship doesn't come around anymore," Sandy said.

"I've been living with my uncles at the old house since dad died. The boat is a wreck, but I plan on fixing it up so I can be a marine vet."

"Oh. What are you doing here?" Sandy asked.

"Josie here is the assistant volunteer nurse at the camp. Like she said, she wants to become a vet, so this is perfect practice...sort of," the main nurse came up to the group, taking off her bloodied gloves.

"A _marine_ vet," Josie corrected, beaming. "And I got the grades to show it."

"Well, it's nice to see you again. How's England?" Stan asked.

"Same ol'," Josie replied with a yawn and smiled, going back to the dog.

That night, another load of campers came. Many were late because of family or last-minute school events, sports or instrument lessons, plane delays or too many train stops, but they were finally there nonetheless.

Their parents said their goodbyes to the children who were quickly carted off to their designated cabins. They took about fifteen minutes to unpack and such and returned to the recreation hall where all the other campers were mingling.

One of the new kids was a tall golden haired girl who dressed in clothing as dark as her ashen kohl eyes. She wore a black hooded cape and a bizarre red amulet, both of which added to the eccentric outfit. A younger camper approached the giant beauty with a purple magic marker.

"Can I sign your bandage?" he asked as she reluctantly, confusedly, presented her left hand to him.

It wasn't just the outfit that made the Hams think something was up.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Really long intro to a drabble-ish thing, I know. All of the other chapters will be fairly to extremely short, FYI, so please bear with the eye torture. Thanks for reading. Sorry about the length. Huzzah! (It's kinda late for a summer fic, eh? Aw, who cares? It'll keep ya'll warm for the winter to come! XD)

Oh! And I updated my profile again! Subtly, but still...

Beta'd by Elric24 (Cuz I lurf DA 14!)


	2. Filler Shot

Disclaimer: ... Kinda obvious, no? I don't think I should harp on it...--

The Filler One-Shot (Not able to be added on to. Kind of an "Oh, what the Hell?" kinda deal here, peeps...Enjoy anyway!)

Author's Note: Thank you so much for the reviews, lupyne and Ringa's Dream! It's about time new blood showed up! Oh yeah! And this is one of the VERY FEW chapters that will not be Beta'd by E24. That's the reason I haven't updated in...nine, ten days...? She won't get back to me! (sobs) J/k! She's very busy with school and this weekend she was celebrating her birthday! She's older than me now! YAY! So, Happy Birthday, Mel! (A little late, but who cares? XD Lurf ya!) I hope to get something back from her soon this week. I've sent her like, seven other chapters to Beta, so yeah...Wish her luck!

Gross-Out

"Hey, Bijou, wanna know what that looks like?" Candace asked at lunch one day. This was one of her childish tomboy games she enjoyed.

Bijou looked down at her mutant potatoes and shook her head, becoming as green as her eyes.

"Not...vreally..." she meekly mumbled.

"Oh. Okay!" she turned to Stan. "Hey, Stan, wanna know what that looks like?" She pointed to his meatloaf.

He grinned. "What?"

"It looks like...dog poo that was...run over by a steer, dropped in Lake Kiche, pulled back out three weeks later, then forced down someone's thr-"

"Eww! Eww! Candace, stop!" Sandy howled in disgust.

"What? It's funny!" Stan said.

"No it's not! It's like, really, really gross!"

"Aww, Sandy..."

"Just knock it off, okay? I don't wanna like, puke or anything."

"I wonder what _that_ would look like..." Stan said.

"Probably like the stuff you and Bijou are about to eat!" Candace cackled. Sandy felt even more nauseous. She lay her head down on the table and repeatedly banged it on there.

The two grinned evilly and laughed even louder, high-fiving and whatnot. That's when Sandy picked up her head, wearing an evil expression of her own.

"Ya know..." she started slyly. "You two are a lot alike..."

"And...?" both asked.

"_And_...I think you it would be like so adorable if you...started going out."

They glared at Sandy then looked at one another disgusted for a split second, leaned opposite ways, and nearly up-chucked themselves, they gagged so much.


	3. Of Blood And Hockey Pucks

Of Blood and Hockey Pucks 

Josie pounded on the door furiously. Pressure built up more and more in her lower abdomen and warning signals bleeped throughout her mind.

"Mecca! If you can morph like you say you could, then turn into a dog and pop a squat in the woods! There are normal people out here who need to use the toilet, so get out!" Nothing followed but silence. "Mecca...?" she called nervously.

"I can't."

"And why not?" Josie growled in fury.

"I'm hemorrhaging."

"WHAT?" Josie shrieked.

"From the womb. I think I've been poisoned. I'm going to die." Josie, realizing what Mecca was talking about-but so obviously didn't understand, began to laugh. "Oh, so my death is of no significance to you? You're looking forward to my funeral, is that it?"

"No. No, Mecca. You're on your period."

"My..._what_?"

"Here. I'll put it in your terms. You're 'going through monthly purification.' "

"How do you stop it?" she asked curtly.

"You can't. But, you can stop it from getting everywhere. Here, open my box and grab a pad." Mecca did as she was told and grabbed a strange feminine object of some sort.

"Is this it? This tube thing?"

"No..." Josie tried not to laugh.

"That's all that's in here."

"Hold on. I'll see if any of the girls in our cabin have some." Josie ran off and quickly returned with a small package. She slipped it under the door."There. Now hurry, I really have to go." Riiiiip!

"I think I broke it. How do I do this correctly?"

"Here. Pass it back." Mecca did. Josie quickly examined. "You opened it right." She handed it back. "Now open it all the way. See the flap? Peel it back and- well, I think you know where to put it, right?"

"Do NOT insult my intelligence," Mecca growled.

"Well, you asked," Josie innocently said as she shrugged.

"So, do mortal males do this as well?"

"No. Only girls do. I don't think guys are capable of doing this." Josie cackled.

"Then, why do they call it MENstruation?"

"Mec, you told me not to insult your intelligence..."

Anna's POV

It's only been a few months since I've come to America, and a few days since I was sent to camp. Me family left our neighborhood because of all the fighting. Civil war, I believe it's called, and it's been tearing up Lake O'Shea Township for over forty-three years...Hmm. The Fox girl can really play a mean game of air hockey. She's very competitive, very... violent...So much for relocating to find peace...

"Ack!" Anna fell from her stool at the lounge's juice bar. The little green puck zoomed past her head, almost getting tangled within her fiery red locks.

"I lose," the kid she was playing with blurted, running off. Anna could see three or four scrapes and a black bruise on his face. She looked at him sympathetically.

Candace scampered over to the fallen Irish girl. "Hi." She extended a hand to her not only to shake but to help her up as well. "I'm really sorry." Anna stayed quiet. "Now would be the time to say your name," Candace joked as Anna stood up.

"Oh. It's Annabla." She blushed.

"I'm really sorry, Anna!" Candace said again. "Did I hit you?"

"No. Just about." Anna shyly smiled and blushed some more.

"Hey, is everything about you red?" Candace warmly inquired, giggling.

"All but me eyes. They'd be green as a shamrock." Anna felt a sudden overwhelming feeling of homesickness. Candace noticed her expression of nostalgia.

"So, where ya from? I've never heard your name before."

"Ireland."

"Cool accent." Anna blushed. "I bet you miss it."

"Mmhm."

A boy with a bunch of girls following him tapped on the window to get Candace's attention as more boys joined the group. She held up a finger to them.

"Well, hey, I gotta go. I'll see ya around, okay? Hey! Come eat at my table tonight if you want! There's plenty of room!"

"Oh...Okay."

And out Candace ran, joining the group of assembled random kids for a game of basketball. Anna smiled after her and continued to think of home.

'Annabla, ye've just made yer first friend,' she proudly thought. 'Even if ye almost lost yer head doin' so.'


	4. The Noise

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the show Hamtaro. Blah, blah, blah...

The Noise

Candace's POV

We sat there, by Little Wolf Creek, in a big circle around the campfire. The crackling of it kept me awake while its light gray smoke filled my nostrils. It was almost magic, getting to see the stars. I don't ever get to see stars at home, unless they're like, J-Lo or David Schwimmer, or somebody like that. That, and New York City is way too bright. This was absolute heaven to me. I felt as though I could die at this exact moment and be happy that is, until Stan broke the spellbound trance I was in.

"Hey, Candy. Hand me a marshmallow, would ya?" he said.

"What do you say?" she asked.

Stan chuckled. "Please?"

"Sure." Candace reached her hand into the bag and retrieved a marshmallow. Beginning to hand it to him, she pulled away and popped it into her own mouth. "Ha ha!"

Stan grabbed the bag and shook it upside-down, frowning.

"Candace," he whined, "that was the last one!"

"Here. Ya want this one?" She started to spit out the one in her mouth.

"Eww! No way, Brace Face! Get that thing away from me! Yuck!" Stan fell off of the log bench from his squeamish flailing. The others, who hadn't been paying attention, began to laugh as he crashed into the ground with a soft 'thud'.

Stan looked around the circle and ended up on Candace. The reflection of the full limestone moon on her brackets nearly blinded him as her laughter filled the air. Even Mecca had a smile on her face and looked almost ready to laugh herself. He smiled and laughed with them.

Unknown to the Hams though, someone or something watched them from nearby in the woods. It became noticeable not when a gleam came from its direction, but when it made itself noticed by stepping in the wrong place.

SNAP!

Their laughter immediately stopped. They listened for a moment in silence. Nothing. The being in the woods stayed still until someone by the fire spoke. It then felt safe to move.

"D-d-did a-anyone else h-h-hear t-that?" Oxnard said, trying not to panic.

"Oui," Bijou replied, afraid as well. She shivered up against Hamtaro. Her friends were too worried to giggle.

"Should somebody check it out?" Panda asked, a scared look on his face.

"Nah. I'm sure it's gone," Boss said coolly, attempting to show his courage. Some sighed in relief.

SNAP!

"Or not!" Sandy yelped.

"Everyone, get over here," Maxwell hissed while waving his hands.

They all crowded together as closely as possible in a tight cluster and stayed quiet, merely whispering to one another.

"What are we gonna do?" Pashmina asked Anna, who just shrugged fearfully.

"I have an idea," Boss announced in a hushed tone. The group tightened, if that was even possible. "All in favor of Mecca going to check out the noise with Howdy..."

"Aye!"

"All against..."

"Aye!" came two hushed shouts from Howdy and Mecca.

"Howdy and Mecca it is," Boss announced.

"Why does HE have to come?" Mecca asked in disgust.

"To make sure no one'll hunt ya. Get it? We're in the woods! Ya know yer little morphin' thing? Aw shucks, no one understands!"

All the gang sighed and Mecca looked more annoyed, obviously as a cover of some sort.

"I think I can manage..." she said sternly before sweat dropping.

"Hey, if all else fails, we can always use Howdy as bait," Dexter cheerfully said, adjusting his glasses.

"That's not even funny!" some of the girls scolded.

"Well, he had it coming to him," Candace defended. Anna, as always, stayed quiet in the back.

Rustling in the nearby brush stopped their whispered bickering. All was quiet again.

SNAP!

"All in favor of running away...!" Hamtaro yowled.

"Aye!" most of the Hams cried and began to run.

"You guys are a bunch of chickens!" Stan called after them.

"Yeah!" Boss agreed. Mecca just silently glared on.

SNAP!

"Wait for us!" the boys hollered as Mecca took refuge in the trees.

Soon, Cappy crept out with his camcorder, Penelope right behind him.

"Did you see the looks on their faces?" he boisterously laughed.

"Ookyoo! Priceless!" She high-fived Cappy and began to cackle as he howled into the night.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Came up with this one in study hall. Oh yeah! Whooooo! Again, thanks for reading, review if you want. No pressure. Oh! Yeah, lupyne- your question...hmmmmmm. I think I will have them in stories, but it depends whether or not I come up with a good plot. I most likely will use them as main characters in a fic sooner or later. But, for now, I need to focus on school and my other fics, which I am desperately trying to finish/continue. So, everyone, keep on your toes. There may be more Sues to come! XD

(Hey yo, E24 here... yeah... I took a while to actually beta this... sorry to you readers... ' nervous laugh I lurf you Cheese It...?...)


	5. Shadow Dance

Disclaimer: I don't own Hamtaro. The End. (So bland...XD)

Shadow Dance

Stan's POV

'It's the middle of July and yet I'm so friggin' cold!'

I shudder and shake as I snatch my blankets and wrap them tighter around myself. 'Brrrr...It doesn't seem to be working.' No amount of blankets can make me warmer. 'I hope I'm not comin' down with something. Tomorrow's the night of the dance and after that, everyone leaves for home. And I was lookin' forward to dancing with all the ladies, too!...'

At breakfast, the Casanova kid just sat there with his head in his folded arms atop the table. He felt cold, even though three others had lent him their swishy windbreaker jackets, and his face was hot and flushed. Candace tapped him on the shoulder. He wasn't in the mood for her antics today. She tapped again. The noise in the mess hall was unbearable and he wanted to go back to his cabin to crash. Another tap. Stan groaned and slowly picked up his head, which felt like it was full of drying cement. He looked at her with red, watery eyes.

"You gonna eat that?" She indicated his untouched bowl of cereal. He shook his heavy head. "Are you gonna eat _that_?" she pointed to the banana.

"Just take the whole thing, Garbage Disposal." He slid the tray to her.

"Oh. Okay! Thanks! Hey, Stan?" He looked at her drowsily, expectantly. "You don't look so hot. Everything okay?"

"Mmhm..." he said, though he really wanted to crawl back into bed.

Stan's condition only worsened and by swimming time, he began to itch. He didn't have nails to scratch them, so he rubbed up against a tree with prickly bark. Now that his back had been taken care of, he decided to do his arms, his legs, he couldn't get to his ears, but they itched too.

"Hey kid, you're breakin' out," a random camper pointed out. He tried feeling his face, no zits or blemishes could be detected. Then again, he was feeling kind of numb, so it only figured his fingers were of no use.

'Aww man! Now I gotta swallow my pride and ask my sis for some oxy pads...' Stan groaned.

"No, really. Look at you! You might wanna get that checked by the nurse," the kid said once more.

Stan looked at his arms. Little pink splotches were forming. Even on his legs too. Not to mention his hands and feet, shoulders, back, neck, and stomach. His eyes widened and his mouth hung agape.

'Oh God...'

Chicken Pox.

That night, Stan stood on the rickety front porch of the counselors' cabin in quarantine. All of the other campers were dancing and having a good time outside telling jokes, stories, the occasional secret or ghost tale- and he was there, away from it all.

Some kids set up a humongous bonfire outside of the recreation center near the main building, where the party was going on, and let it burn the night away. Just when it began to dim, along with the party, somebody approached Stan.

"Hi. You look lonely. Wanna dance?" It was Candace.

"I can't, I'm contagious."

"You don't have to touch me, we can shadow dance."

"What's that?"

"Here." she hopped away over by the woods. The fire's remaining light produced her shadow on the far wall of the recreation center. "Now, move to the right." He did, causing the floor to creak, and saw himself enlarged and silhouetted next to her similar figure. "Well, we gonna dance, or just stand here like doofuses?" Stan chuckled at how ridiculous this was and stuck his arms out so his shadow arms looked like they were wrapped around her shadow's body.

He was glad to be in quarantine. Other kids would probably have laughed at him if he did this out in the open. And Candace, probably getting cackled at right then, looked just as stupid with her arms outstretched and her body swaying like someone else was there with her. But it didn't matter to either one just then. They were having too much fun.

The clock struck nine. The counselors made Stan promise to go to sleep then. He reluctantly had to cut their evening short.

As the fire's light was close to nothing, Stan moved his head to the right. His shadow kissed Candace's shadow on the cheek and he walked into the cabin as a girl poured water on the dying fire. Between the hissing of the ashes, the crickets' serenades, and the rickety cabin floor as Stan stumbled across it, Candace couldn't even hear her own mind scream in happiness. All she knew was that she had just experienced her first kiss. Well, a shadow kiss, anyway...


	6. The Little Sneaks

Disclaimer: Do I have to? You know the drill. (Yawns)

The Little Sneaks

Josie's POV

I don't participate in most camp activities because I'm so busy at the nurse's station, but I _do_ go to weekly movie nights on Fridays. They aren't all that enjoyable, though and put a lot of kids to sleep before seven-thirty. Some of the really old supposed-to-be horror films are laughably stupid, but that's all. That's why me and some of the (braver) Ham-gang are going to the drive-in a few roads down when nobody's watching. I can't wait! This will be so cool!...

"Shh!" Boss shushed the string of six kids following him. As the oldest, he felt he had authority over everyone else. No one much minded, though.

Not many Hams came, for fear of getting caught. The bold ones who _did_ go were Boss, Candace, Howdy, Sandy, Josie, Hamtaro, and Stan. Cappy and Penelope wanted to come too, and had begged practically all day as well, but the others didn't want to risk anything by letting little, twerpy nine-year-olds tag along. And though she was bold, Mecca refused to do anything even remotely fun, so she didn't come either.

They continued walking on.

They reached their destination twenty minutes later and snuck in the gates since no one had a car. Once in, they bought snacks with the money from their care packages and walked over towards screen one, where they sat hidden between two cars.

Stan eagerly peeked in one of them.

"Eww. Tonsil hockey!"

Upon hearing this, Candace joined him at the window and mocked the older teens by embracing herself and making kissing sounds to accompany her moanings of "Oh baby!" Most of the others laughed really hard but Howdy just faintly, bitterly chuckled.

'Why can't ah do that...?'

At a boring part, Stan tapped Hamtaro on the shoulder and said quietly, "Look what I can do." This got everyone's attention and all turned in his direction in time to see him shove his straw up his nose.

"Stanley! I can't believe you're going t-" Sandy's scolding was drowned out due to all the slurping going on as Stan pinched his right nostril shut for suction. The soda was gone in under fifteen seconds.

All of the girls shrieked, "Ewwwwww!" and the other boys laughed as Stan clutched his aching, brain-frozen skull, smirking in pride. They carried on like this for a few minutes. That's when Howdy piped up.

"Hey, if ya'll thought _that_ was gross, lookit screen number four!" he hooted.

It's amazing how different boys and girls are from each other. Upon seeing the image, most of the girls cooed and blushed. Now, the boys on the other hand, they just gagged and yelled, "Yuck!" or "Gross!" and made barfing sounds as the couple on the screen continued with their moment of passion.

Candace turned her back to the group another time. She then wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing them up and down her back and making kissing noises and moaning, "Oh baby!" all the while, causing almost everyone to laugh again. Everyone but Howdy, who had a very sour expression on as he jealously scowled at her.

"Ya know, that gits really old..." he sneered.

Candace immediately stopped and frowned.

"He's just jealous," Sandy said, making Candace smile faintly. They turned their attention back to the movie.

"...Yeah. It's cool, though. I'm not needed until lights out tonight because it's movie night," the gang heard an unsettlingly familiar voice.

"That's good. So, how's it going there?" a male asked.

The small group looked at each other wide-eyed and popped jawed.

"Was that...?"

"Oh God."

Jewel Webster, the main counselor's niece. She was the most big-mouthed snitch anyone had ever met. She'd tell the other counselors on you for just barely missing the garbage can when throwing a wrapper away, even if you planned on picking it up, and acted as though you had a bomb strapped under your clothes. And here she was, in perfect earshot, in plain sight right across from them.

The Hams held in their breaths, hoping she wouldn't turn around and see them. She did, unfortunately. Her eyes locked in on all of theirs, but she didn't do anything. Her gaze was so unreadable, they couldn't tell if they were busted or if she thought she was seeing things. Then she smiled and mouthed, 'Go back to camp' with a look that said 'You better be nice to me or else...'

They ran away so fast, their feet hardly touched ground.


	7. Meet Me at the Rock

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, places, etc. from the show Hamtaro. I only wish I did! (cries) XD

Meet Me at the Rock

Howdy's POV

On Monday, Mecca wore a billowy dress as dark as tar. Tuesday, ah believe she wore a ruffled skirt and corset. On Wednesday, she wore a gray T-shirt with black Capri's because the counselors told her that dresses weren't allowed. All the while, she wore that ridiculous necklace that looked so heavy her neck might snap any second. But, it sure is purdy... Oh! Ah almost forgot! And...on _Thursday_, she...

"Mecca _what_?" The Ham-boys crowded around him.

"She kissed meh!" Howdy cheered, leaping down from his bunk and grabbing Dexter's towel. "A real one, too. Not one o' them sissy pecks, but a real, gen-u-ine smooch! Right on the lips!" He wrapped the towel around his neck and let it drape down like a cape around his wiry figure. Then he climbed up to the top bunk on one of the beds, where he stood proudly, sticking his chest out and said, "Ah feel invincible!"

"Well hey, Mr. Invincible. I hate to break it to you, but I used that towel after my shower today," Dexter pointed out bluntly.

"Yuck!" Howdy whipped the towel at him after swiftly taking it off.

"So, wait. You kissed a girl?" A very intrigued Cappy ran into the cabin.

"An older girl," Howdy corrected, beaming buck-toothed, even though she was only so by less than three months.

"Cappy, what are you doing in here?" Boss asked in annoyance while the kid got comfortable on someone's bottom bunk.

"I just wanna know what happened!" he defended and straightened his teal cap. He turned to Howdy. "So...did you?"

"No." Cappy frowned, confused. "_She_ kissed _meh_!" A few of the guys high-fived him and howled.

"Wow, Howdy! A real live woman!" Hamtaro said enthusiastically. Howdy grinned.

'Yup. A real live woman...and she kissed meh...'

Sandy's POV

There's a legendary rock like, on the other side of the lake. It's in a totally neat place in the woods, all surrounded by big trees and bushes. I hear it's very romantic...I would like, totally take Maxwell there. Maybe I should. I dunno. I think I'll have a chat with the girls first...

"Kissing Rock, eh?" Josie said, grinning as she washed her hands.

"Yeah..." Sandy replied with a blush, sitting on the examining table as her legs swung to and fro.

"I say you go for it."

"Really?" Josie nodded. "How do I..."

"Get him to go? Write a note, duh!"

"You think? Okay...Thanks, Jos."

"Kissing Rock?" Pashmina asked with a smirk back at the cabin.

"Ohh la la! Zandy, who are vous going to bring?" Bijou asked.

"...Maxwell," she replied, looking at her maroon high-tops with an even redder blush on as the other two squealed.

"How will you let him know?" Pashmina asked.

"I wrote him a note." Bijou looked displeased. "What?"

"Did vous geeve eet to 'im een person?"

"NO! That would be like, soooo mortifying!"

"Vat did vous do, zen?"

"I...taped it to his cabin's door," Sandy replied matter-of-factly and folded her arms across her chest, smiling.

"Ooh, Sandy!" Pashmina yowled, upset.

"What? What's so wrong with putting it there?"

"Are you dense? What if someone else finds it?" Sandy gasped. She hadn't thought of that.

'What if someone _did _find it...?' Her jaw dropped in defeat. "I gotta get that note back!" She sped out of the cabin in a panic.

Once she arrived at the cabin Maxwell resided at on the boys' side of camp, Sandy bounded for the door, which she thoroughly hoped still had the note attached to it. She reached the porch and saw it bare, but stared on in vain for a few seconds anyway.

"Oh no..." she groaned just as someone walked out. It was a very pink Maxwell. She looked up at him. "So," she gulped. "I guess you read it, huh?" Sandy looked down, about to cry.

"Mmhm..." Maxwell was speechless.

"So...?"

"So...I don't think we have to take the trip all the way across the lake."

Sandy picked up her head and sniffled. "Mm?"

He didn't say anything. He just leaned forward, wiping her tears and brushing a few of her strawberry and honey blonde strands of hair away from her soft peach face and slowly pecked her on the lips.

The Rock may have been the most romantic spot at Camp Greenwich, but the moment _here_ was so much sweeter than if it had actually been across the lake...


	8. It Goes Around

Disclaimer: No own Hamtaro...(foams at mouth.) Duuuuuh...

AN: Okay, lupyne and everyone who was confused and/ or interested. To answer and/or elaborate on your question, the Howdy-Mecca kiss was mainly just for laughs and to fill up time and space, so I wouldn't have another filler-shot. (Which I already have two more written just in case I get writers' block yet again... XD) And, to be nice, I'll give you another answer- I just thought I'd add something with Mecca in there since I don't really talk about her too often. That, and, being the queen of spawning Hamtaro Mary Sues, I had to have some sort of canon/non-canon romance in there! Heehee. Yeah, sorry excuse, I know...XD This is another one-shot/ vignette-ish chapter that deals with canon and non-canon fluff. So...Enjoy, I guess. Oh! And before I forget! I will try to get an epilogue up for FIASE, if I can. NOW here's the story!

It Goes Around

Oxnard's POV

Some kids at camp are really nice, like my best buddy Hamtaro. But, with every set of nice kids, there's always a bunch of mean ones like...Troy Donaldson and his goons. I never did _anything_ to the guy and yet he _still_ bothers me about stuff, mainly my weight. I tried to be nice, but when that didn't work out...well, I just kind of cried, and he made fun of me for _that_! That's why I have strong friends like Boss- friends who don't take crap from anyone and beat it out of the ones who try. I really owe him for what he did for me yesterday, but for some reason, he says _he_ owes _me_...

Oxnard stood outside, watching his friends play hackysack as he peacefully finished up his lunch.

"Hey, Tubby! How's it goin'?" Troy said as he whapped the back of Oxnard's head, causing his grip on the sandwhich to loosen and it fell to the ground.

"What gives? I was gonna eat that!" Oxnard whined.

"It's not like you need it, fatso," Troy retorted with a smirk, smashing the sandwhich into the ground with his freakishly clean Nikes. Oxnard was speechless and tears formed in the corners of his eyes. "Ya know, Ox-head, you're at the wrong place."

"I-I am?"

"Yeah. I mean, this camp isn't meant for you. It's not right. _But_... there is a camp just for kids like you, lardo. It's a very magical place called..._fat camp_." Some kids behind them snickered menacingly.

"Say that again..." a growly voice challenged as their towering figure shadowed the area.

"Oh. Hey, Boss-man," Troy said pleasently as Boss made a fist, drawing his arm back. "Okay. So you wanna greet with punches? I'm game." Troy balled up a hand of his own.

Just as Boss started to throw his blow, Troy popped him one square in the face. He tried to shake it off, but became dizzy and fell. The crowd that had assembled laughed louder as he let out a small groan.

"Ooh...That's gotta hurt!" one kid said.

"Ha ha ha. I guess they're right. The bigger you are, the harder you fall!" another one sneered, feeding the fireball of laughs. Boss' sight became blurry and faded and the last thing he remembered before closing his eyes was hearing the ridiculing laughter of peers and Troy's obnoxious voice saying,

"Hosta le bye-bye!" And he was out.

The first thing Boss saw when he awoke was a pair of colbalt eyes concealed behind overgrown brunette bangs. He felt a warm pressence about the familiar girl and smiled.

"Ow..." he grunted, frowning again as Josie placed a cottonball soaked in bubling poroxide on his open temple.

"Hold still," she gently told him, beginning to blow on the small wound. Boss winced. She slowly pulled out the bloody Kleenexes from his nose to check if the bleeding had stopped. It had and she smiled at him sweetly, walking away to get something else, her stubby pigtails bobbing behind her.

"Err..." Boss grunted as she placed a bandaid glopped with ointment on his throbbing head.

"You big baby..." she teased.

"It hurts!" he defended.

"Aww...Do you want me to kiss it?" she cooed jokingly. Boss grinned and slightly blushed.

"Sure. Why not?" Josie froze for a second, but went along nonetheless.

"Where does it hurt?"

"Right here." He pointed to his head. She pecked it. "And here." She kissed his elbow too. "And here." she gave a peck to his wrist as well. "Oh. And don't forget here." he pointed to his mouth with a deeper blush as Josie rolled her eyes. Boss gave her a playful look and crossed his arms.

"Fine, But only because you're the patient," she said as an excuse and angelically pressed her lips to his. Deeper she went for a few more blissful seconds, then falling from cloud nine and realizing that this was strictly business, she jolted away. Boss was still grinning. "Better?" she asked, slightly aggressive.

"Much..." he replied in a happy daze, frozen.

"Good. Now, get out."

Boss left, the grin still playing on his just-kissed lips as he slyly strutted out the door.

'Because I'm the patient...'


	9. Peaches and Gravy

Disclaimer: ...

**I**.

**D**o.

**N**ot.

**O**wn.

**A**nything.

**F**rom.

**H**amtaro.

**Y**ay.

(I'm just seeing if it makes an acronym! **XD**)

Peaches and Gravy

Boss' POV

'Kids...I'll never get 'em. One day, they're all content and happy doing kid stuff and then BAM! The next they wanna be famous or have super powers- anything to be noticed, really. (sigh) Sadly, _all_ kids are like that. Even sadder, I have to bunk with one. Sadder still- Well, let's go back to this morning...'

"I want to be known!" Cappy yelled in frustration.

"You are," Panda tried to reason. Others nodded in agreement.

"No I'm not! Maxwell's known as the Walking Encyclopedia because he remembers all this junk he reads and Howdy, the Corny Lame-O because well, face it, he can't jokes for beans... Oxnard and Candace are both known as Garbage Disposals because they eat anything and everything that other people don't have enough room for and Bijou's The Sweetheart. What am I gonna be? The Hat Creep because of all my headwear? Grr...Ya know, even Josie and Anna have names. Josie's called the Sexy Nurse, and-"

"Wait! Wait! Wait! Hold up! Who calls me _that_?" Josie asked infuriated. Stan whistled innocently and got a nice jab in the arm.

"Yowch, Jos! You can really throw a punch!"

"Be glad it wasn't a needle..." she spat. Stan winced as both she and Sandy took a hold of one of his ears.

"ANYWAY! That brings me to Stan. He's known as-"

"Cappy, stop complaining to us and come up with something to make yourself known," Pashmina softly said as Penelope let out a happy 'Ookyoo!' for support.

"Alright. I'll come up with something. I'll be famous! I'll be a legend! I'll go down in Camp Greenwich history!"

Pashmina's POV

''I'm an idiot! I'm incapable of thought! I'll get thrown out of camp!', is what he should have said. I should have kept my big mouth shut. Yes, I should have. I shouldn't have even mentioned it and let him carry on like the little brat he tends to be sometimes. Well, now I've learned my lesson. It's almost as painful as getting this mystery meat sauce out of my hair...'

_"Foooood Fiiight!" _

The words counselors dread most, boys wait for, and send chills down everyone's spines. They were a taboo at school and at camp and Cappy had just uttered them the loudest anyone had ever heard.

A girl shrieked as somebody threw a bowl of macaroni salad down the front of her shirt.

"Noodle boobs! Noodle boobs!" the boys chanted, cackling and running away to some other unsuspecting camper as she ran the opposite way, crying.

Campers scattered to the mess hall doors as others ducked under benches, hid behind trays, and even used their friends as human shields. All of this chaos, and the counselors still did nothing.

Panda's POV

That's when it happened. Everyone just kind of froze and looked at themselves. 'Why are we doing this?' some kid asked and another answered with a shrug, dropping the cobbler she was going to launch at some boy whose name I can't remember. It splat loudly on the ground and Cappy, who was still screaming and jumping around from table to table like a chimp, was taken away to the office. He didn't get thrown out of camp, but he _did_ get the punishment he deserved...

Cappy's POV

I'm sure you heard from everybody at camp what happened. Yeah, I got into some trouble, but I had it coming. My punishment is to clean the mess hall and scrub the latrines for three weeks...On a happier note, I'm not generic anymore. I got a name, but I don't like it...Okay, I'll tell you, but don't hold it over my head, alright? The call me...Crappy...because one day when I was working on the latrines, some guys decided to- Well, you figure it out. I'm just glad I was allowed to stay at camp...


	10. Perfect Flaws

Perfect Flaws

Dexter's POV

Everyone has their own quirks. Take Sandy for instance- she always hums and taps on anything available, pounding the living daylights out of it and Anna, who's too shy for her own good, practically chokes when you say 'Hello' to her. Hamtaro, he's so terribly naïve and gullible, he'd believe you if you said he had an alien spaceship in his ear canal. (Believe me, we tried it.) Oh! And I can't forget Cappy. He talks so loud, you'd think he didn't know what an indoor voice was. But theirs are close to nothing compared to mine. I have the worst of all. I care too much and too deeply, I do stupid things because of it too, and tonight…I'll more than likely do it again for the one I most adore and have cherished since kindergarten. The one that, up until this summer, I've had a rivalry with my best friend for-the girl who's sweet and kind and nothing but beautiful. She's the one who plagues my every thought and dream…_Pashmina Cheyenne Smith_, an absolute angel in my book…

Sweat dripped down Panda's face as he continued sawing- it was his demonstration for Camp Greenwich's Twenty-third Annual Fine Arts Night. Dexter's stomach tightened with every slide on the wood his friend made as his teeth clenched and chattered. His knees kept knocking against each other, but he knew he was going through with this. He took in deep breaths as Panda continued with his carpentry, and by the time he was almost done with his nailing sequence, was calm and in control of himself.

That's when everyone clapped. That's when the panic returned. Dexter stood and shook all the way up and across the makeshift stage, up to the microphone and looked out with big bug eyes, waiting for the crowd to be silent. Everyone quieted down and he began to freak out again. He looked at the front row where Pashmina sat and chatted with other girls quietly. One pointed, talking to her and she turned in the direction of the stage where she saw Dexter looking at her. Looking up, she smiled warmly at him, causing him to gulp.

'Okay…Here I go…Forgive me, Precious…'

"This song, I am (wheeze) dedicating to someone very special to me, someone who (wheeze) has always been kind and caring and well, (wheeze) I-I just love her, okay?" He looked at his grass-stained Reeboks, motioning for the kid by the stereo to hit play.

"Ooooooh!" some kids said, laughing. Others wondered who the unlucky girl was and cringed for her sake. Harsh.

Dexter quickly took out an inhaler and puffed it in a rush, causing more people to laugh and then, to add to the laughter, whipped his glasses off in a smart and slick manner which Stan had taught him. He had practiced all day in his cabin in front of the dusty mirror, and had _still_ messed it up.

"Ooooooh! Ahhhhhh!" campers said in mock wonder. Dexter didn't care. He just squinted on at Pashmina as his nasally voice began to sing.

"I see the questions in your eyes," he squeaked and hurriedly cleared his throat.

"I know what's weighin' on your mind

But you can be sure I know my part

'Cause I'll stand beside you through the years

You'll only cry those happy tears

And though I'll make mistakes

I'll never break your heart

I swear

By the moon and the stars in the sky

I'll be there

I swear

Like the shadow that's by your side

I'll be there

For better or worse

Till death do us part

I'll love you with every beat of my heart

I swear…"

Everyone recognized the tune and cackled because of its cliché and overly-played-on-the-radio-ness. But, Dexter didn't care if it was corny, as long as Pashmina knew that he meant every word of it and felt the same.

The malicious crowd roared in laughter and booing as he tried continuing to sing, even though it was terribly out of key.

"I'll give you everything I can

I'll build your dreams with these two hands

We'll hang some mem'ries on the wall-"

The situation only got worse when kids started throwing things up on the stage and chanting mean things at him, snickering. He gave in and let his eyes fill to the brim with tears that stung worse than the others' mocking and ridiculing, worse than the heartbreak of Pashmina hating him for life. He didn't care anymore. All he wanted to do was get out of there as fast as possible, so he ran to the best of his unathletic ability, sobbing all the way as the song kept playing, teasing him by filling the air outside with its melody.

And when there's silver in your hair

You won't have to ask if I still care

'Cause as time turns the page

My love won't age at all

I swear

By the moon and the stars in the sky

I'll be there

I swear

The campers' laughter was so strong, Dexter didn't even notice that the one who mattered most hadn't joined them. Pashmina just sat there in pure shock. At Dexter, who was bold enough to subject himself like that for her, at the others who picked on him for trying so hard to be romantic, but mostly at herself…for not doing anything but sit there and take everybody's sincere apologies as though she felt the same disgust while staring stupidly at the empty stage. She trudged to her cabin feeling crestfallen and angered that sleepless night and cried herself to sleep for she and poor Dexter.

Like the shadow that's by your side

I'll be there

For better or worse

Till death do us part

I'll love you with every beat of my heart

I swear

I swear

By the moon and the stars in the sky

I'll be there

I swear

Like the shadow that's by your side

I'll be there

For better or worse

Till death do us part

Early the next morning, Pashmina snuck over to the boys' part of camp and found Dexter's cabin. She peered into the windows and found that his bunk was on the other side. She crept around the cabin silently and made her way over to where he slept on the bottom bunk. Peeking through that window, she could tell that Dexter wasn't sleeping soundly as well by his troubled expression. She gazed sympathetically at him and began to huff on the cold window, forming a tiny cloud of fog on which she neatly traced a heart with her dainty finger. Next to it she wrote: 'Thanks. U R 2 nice!-PS' and walked away, satisfied, hoping he'd feel better at seeing her message upon waking up.

I'll love you with every beat of my heart

I swear

I swear…


	11. The Second Filler Shot

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, places, etc. from the show Hamtaro. I own Mecca, Anna, Candace, Anisha (partly) , Josie, and any counselor, I guess.

Another Filler- Shot- My Purpose in Life...

Mecca's POV

**F- **Xx Freaking you out at all hours xX

**I-** Xx I like to rip up and burn flowers xX

**S-** Xx Scream at you for no apparent reason xX

**H-** Xx Hide behind a loyal look as I commit an act of treason xX

**M-** Xx Making all of your lives a living Heck xX

**A-** Xx As I dream of wrapping long miscellaneous objects around your necks xX

**R-** Xx Raising cane with all that I do xX

**K-** Xx Kill little insects by squishing them under my shoes xX

**E-** Xx Everything about me seems eccentric to you? xX

**T-** Xx Tell me you're wrong even though it's not true xX


	12. You're It

Disclaimer: Well...how about that? I got nothin'. XD

You're It

"One...Two...Three…"

The grass swished and leaves crunched as they ran into the darkness, to the shelter of the woods, away from the ones with the eyes of hawks. The Its.

"Four…Five….Six…"

Twenty- four more seconds to find an unoccupied refuge. More crunching and rustling. No one spoke, only panted from running. Tripping and groping around in the dark, the Hams found hiding places as Candace and Dexter kept their count.

"Seventeen…Eighteen…Nineteen…Twenty…"

Most everyone was settled and ready. Silence of the forest around them began to toy with their minds. Stan shivered from his spot in a ditch he had found by accident. Paranoia had set in already, just two minutes into the game. A shriek sounded from a few feet away.

"Gottcha!" Dexter said in triumph. Whoever it was was now an It.

"I heard something from over there," they snitched. Penelope. More swishing, in the other direction, as a storm of violent snaps and crumbles came by.

Candace was on the chase. Boss was faster than she'd thought he'd be and was already feeling the burn in her chest and legs. Her right foot hit the ground, propelling her a few feet farther, whereas her other one didn't. She fell with a scream and hit the leafy bottom of the ditch.

"Oww…" she grumbled, not noticing Stan, who was trying to climb out of the hole in stealth. It was unsuccessful. "Hey!" ...

Bijou's POV

Eet iz very chilly out now. And ze dark, eet scares me…I zon't zink I like zis game anymore. Vhat vas zat? I 'ope eet's not a monzter or a zerial keeller. Oh! Eet's… '_Amtaro_… 'E'll protect moi! I 'ope 'e zees me.

"Hey, Bijou," 'Amtaro vhispered to me. I smiled back nervously.

"Salute." 'E made ze gezture vhere vous raise your arm and ztraighten eet, touching ze vorhead. I laughed. "Non. Eet means, 'Hi' in French."

"…Oh…" 'E lowered 'is arm. "Are you okay? You look kinda scared."

"Oui. I'm vine, but could vous pleaze ztay vith me zo I'm not lonezome?"

"Sure."

"Merci."

Ve stayed quiet vor a vhile, leestening to all ze ruckus ov ze game and laughing becauze no one 'ad vound uz yet. But, zhat's vhen zings got zerious. Ve vere all alone 'ere… I looked at 'im to zee if 'e noticed. 'E did and I bluzhed.

"Is everything okay?"

"Oui,' I quietly replied, scooting clozer, ztill looking into 'is cobalt eyes. Zey remind me ov ze zky at night, zey're zo twinkly and deep blue.

I vill never vorget vhat 'appened next, though. 'E looked back into mine and- didn't kiss me, but zomezing juzt ze zame- 'E took my 'and and zqueezed eet tight, not enough to 'urt though, and zmiled at me even az ve got tagged juzt zitting zhere, looking goofily at each other behind ze tree…

"Hey!" Candace startled Stan, causing him to fall back to her. He gulped as she approached.

"Have mercy on me, Candace! Let me get a five second head-start, at least! Please?" he plead.

"Nope…" she drew nearer, backing him up to the ditch's side and pinned him there. She touched his chest. "Tag." Her lips pressed against his for just a second- and for that whole second, Stan prayed his lips wouldn't get ripped off by her evil braces. "You're it." But, he couldn't join her growing side for he had passed out from the thrill of his first kiss, hitting the ground with another 'thud'.

Mecca's malice had vanished upon seeing that her prey had been injured in the chase. Howdy lay on the leafed floor of the woods, sniffling as he pathetically tried getting up. His ankle was bent wrong. She didn't know what to do, but when he tried to stand again, she helped him limp his way to the infirmary with his injured leg in her arms as she slumped her tall form in half to do so. Her long, thigh-length hair draped around his shoulder.

Meanwhile, back in the ditch, Stan had recovered and was now laying next to Candace, watching the stars in peace, forgetting about the game. One shot across the sky vibrantly, getting everybody's attention. Chasers stopped as well as the chasees. Even the hiders came out to look at the spectacle in wonder. At the nurse's station, Mecca escorted Howdy up to the porch as Josie came out and gazed up at the bright comet as well. The three stared along with everyone else in the woods.

'I wish this summer would never end…' They all thought, smiling. 'Never end…'

But most knew the inevitable and re-wished to return someday and meet again.


	13. It's A

Disclaimer: I don't own Hamtaro. The End.

Author's Note: What do I call what? My chapters? Well, if this is what you were asking, lupyne, I call them vignettes. I learned the word in English class when we read The House on Mango Street. Anybody ever hear of it? Oh! And another possibility, (I like this guessing around! XD) I call the vertical letter-using thingies acronyms. Another thing I learned in English-well, three years ago... XD (I can not explain things too well, can I?) hahaha...

It's A-

"Eww…What is that?" Josie cocked an eyebrow, looking down at something.

"I dunno, but it sure does stink!" Hamtaro pulled his shirt over his nose.

"Hey. I think I saw it move!" Cappy yelled.

"Don't be dumb!" Sandy said.

"He's not! I saw it too," Penelope defended.

"Then, where did it move and how?" Pashmina interrogated.

"…"

"That's what I thought."

"Ya wanna know what I think it is?" Candace inquired excitedly.

"NO!" the others shouted.

"Okay…But it was really good…"

" And I'm sure you're right," Maxwell chimed.

"How are we gonna get rid of it?" Dexter questioned.

"Beats meh!" Howdy piped up.

"Hmmmmmm…"

"Is it more yellow or orange? I can't tell," said Panda.

"I zink eet's yellow," Bijou replied.

"Definitely," Stan agreed.

"I-it m-moved f-for real this time, g-guys!" Oxnard shrieked.

"Hey! There's a red spot-thingy on it!" Boss stated.

"It's bleeding!" Anna squeaked, fainting.

"I know what it is!" Candace announced again.

"We don't want to know!"

"I'm serious this time! …It's a gerbil…I think…"

"It's a rat," Hamtaro guessed.

"No. It's a toilet monkey!" Cappy yelled.

"You would know," the Hams heard Mecca sneer in her typical venomous way, supposedly from the back of the group.

"It's a clump of counselor Greene's armpit hair!" Stan proclaimed.

"It's a fuzzy cloth."

"It's a fungi."

"It's what Candace's braces look like on spaghetti night." SLAP!

"It's a sandwich wrapper."

"It's a rabid maggot baby."

"A maggot _is_ a baby!" Maxwell corrected.

"It's a leftover cabbage leaf."

"It's a… I'm out."

Whatever it was yawned and opened it beady gray eyes, still laying on its back.

"What are you idiot mortals doing crowded around me? Can't you see I'm trying to sleep?" It asked, groggily and annoyed.

"Holy crap!…Mecca?"


	14. CHairy 7Up

Disclaimer: …You all know that I don't own anything from the show Hamtaro. If you didn't, you do now. That, and I only partially own E24's OC. Yay!

AN: Yeah, I'm kinda using Mel's character because it was requested. I hope she doesn't hate me TOO much after this! XD I'll probably only use her for two to four chapters, depending on whatever…yeah…Enjoy!

CHairy 7Up

Penelope's POV

Anisha. Only one phrase can describe her. 'Hides behind her hair- er hairs.' And one phrase that fits everyone else in the universe would most likely be 'Wigged out.' We were so fed up with her fake hair and had decided to teach her a little lesson…That is, until we ended up pranking instead- Oh ookwee! Find out for yourselves!…

Stan let out a low whistle.

"Hot blondie at five 'o clock!" he howled.

"I didn't think Anisha was blonde. Wasn't she a brunette?" Pashmina asked.

"Yeah. Last week," Sandy scoffed. Some others laughed.

"Hey, Hamtaro. What's with your sis?"

He shrugged. "I dunno."

"Is she really a redhead like you, bub?" Boss asked.

"Mmhm."

"Why does she wanna hide it?" Panda wondered.

"Dunno."

By lunch, Anisha's curly blonde locks had mysteriously straightened, shrunk, and turned plum, making everybody wince with its vibrant hue.

"She looks like a troll," one girl sneered to Anna, who moved around uncomfortably, scooting further down the bench.

"She _is_ a troll!" another laughed.

"That's my baby sister! Be nice!" Hamtaro walked past them on his way to the table. He sat. "Why can't everyone just leave Anisha alone?"

"Hey, Anisha. Nice hair cut."

"Hm?" she pulled at the phony purple strands to see some much shorter than others. "Oh…" The group at her bench cackled loudly, fueling her great embarrassment.

The Hams looked over, like many others around the room, to see what all the hype was about. Looking at Anisha quickly, they figured out what had probably gone on and returned to what they were doing before. All but Penelope and Cappy, that is.

The two younger Hams looked horrified upon seeing her tray and its contents. Instead of her usual pink 7Up, she decided to take a diet Pepsi, leaving the contaminated beverage for some other unfortunate soul. They looked at each other and dashed off around the mess hall.

Hisssss!

Cappy spun the lid off of somebody's bottle. Without giving an explanation, he ran off, feeling they- and he- were safe.

Hisssss! Hisssss! Hisssss!

Bottles everywhere became open and shouts of 'Hey! What's goin' on?' or 'Don't touch that!' filled the buzzing cafeteria. All of them were opened and there was still no sign of anyone getting the lucky bottle until…

Sccrape sccrape scrape…

"Hmm…It's flat," Josie said, turning to Boss before placing the cherry soda to her lips, immediately spitting the bubbly fluid out, coughing. "Oh my (cough) gosh! There's (cough) fur in it! (cough, cough, cough)"

"Hey Mecca, stop sheddin' everywhere!" Howdy teased.

"Reeeoww!" Mecca's cat form yowled, slashing at his face with her sharp claws extended as she pounced.

"Ah was just kiddin'!- Ahhhhhh!" He fell to the floor as her scratching intensified.

"Are you okay?" Boss asked, frightened. Josie didn't talk anymore. She just gagged and turned blue. 'I'm no nurse, but I _know_ that can't be good!' He quickly laced his arms around her middle, blushing. 'No time for that, Boss-man. You have life-savin' to do!' With that, he slid his balled up hands to just below her ribcage and thrusted.

A 'pop!' followed by lots of coughing, crying, and cheers filled the room as the wet ball of hair hit the floor and rolled. Josie couldn't speak, so she hugged him for thanks, meaning all the same.

"Ah thought _you_ were the only one who did that!" Howdy chuckled as the calm golden cat on his chest fired up again. "Ahhhhhh! My face!"

"My wig!"

"Aha! You faker!" someone shouted as the main counselor, Barry Weiss, stepped in and slipped on the soggy hairball, landing on it.

"My camp! My beautiful camp! You kids have really done it now!" he shrieked, finding out what all the chaos he was to check on was. "Who is responsible for this?" No one could answer him except for two small twerps who looked guilty as sin. "WELL…?"

"…mew…"

"What was that?" His expression softened as he saw Mecca. "A kitty! Aww…who's a pretty kitty? Who's a pretty kitty? You're a pretty kitty…" he gushed, picking her up and carrying her away.

'Help me….' Her panicked eyes plead to the others, who just laughed as she was babied on by the 'oh so tough' counselor Weiss.


	15. The Third Filler Shot

Disclaimer: Well...I could say I owned Hamtaro, but that would just be plain wrong...XD

AN: Sorry if I'm breaking a rule with this one, but it's kinda hard doing it any other way...heehee.

Yet Another Filler-Shot

A Campfire Song

The counselor motioned for Josie to start playing the guitar.

"Okay, everyone! Here we go! Mmmmmmm..." He hummed to get the campers in key. They joined.

"Mmmmmmm..."

All: Camp Greenwich is number one

Hamtaro: We have lots of fun

Sandy: And we all like to jump and run

Troy: Oxnard weighs a ton

Counselor: (Scolds.) Troy...

Troy (Singing.) : Well it's true

Dexter: There's so much to do

Anna:...

(Boss fills in for her by humming. Others laugh.)

Bijou: Like zwim een a lake ov blue

Cappy: And we have a bunch of gum to chew (Pops bubble.)

Counselor: (Yells.) This is NOT how the song goes! Start it over! Miss Josie...

All: Camp Greenwich is number one

Maxwell: We have lots of fun

Anisha: Making memories to share

Pashmina: Like all of your colored hair

Candace: (Giggles.)

Stan: Like saluting my underwear-

Counselor: That's it! One last time! And DON'T mess this up or it's lights out at eight!

All: Camp Greenwich is dumb...


	16. Soup Was Our Downfall

Disclaimer: …I've harped on it long enough! XD But, yeah. I don't own Hamtaro.

Author's Note: Not much to say here. I'm still working on that epilogue. Not getting very far with it, though. Writers' block…UGH. That, and I cannot think of a decent beginning for my next fic. I have a few ideas though, so don't worry! XD

Soup Was Our Downfall

Anna's POV

Our alphabet…

Anisha's POV

Is the best one ever!…

Pashmina's POV

It's not for the boys to know…

Sandy's POV

And it would like, so totally confuse them! Even Maxy!…

Bijou's POV

Zat vas our point…

Josie's POV

It was made by we girls…

Candace's POV

And our main reason for creating it was and is…

Mecca's POV

To torment and humiliate all of the male gender race!…

Penelope's POV

To prove that girls beat out boys…

All Girls' POV

Any day. Any time. Any place. Heeheehee!

Everyone sat out in the grass after swimming. A flash of white caught the boys' eyes as Josie handed a paper to Pashmina. She began to giggle and looked over at Boss, who glared back, confused.

"Let me see that," he demanded in a low voice, expecting a fight.

"Sure." she gave it to him happily.

"Huh?" He glanced over at all the gibberish written on the page. "Is this the British alphabet?"

Josie snorted. "No. The British alphabet is the same as ours!" she laughed.

"Then what is it?"

"…Not telling!" the girls ran off, giggling.

The others looked at Maxwell, giving him the note. As he read the miscellaneous characters, he became more confused and frustrated.

"Ugh," he groaned, holding his head. "I can't tell what it's saying…"

"Well, if you can't, then we're definitely hosed!" Stan said in disgusted fury, running his fingers through his oily hair.

"Those girls really get on my nerves! And it's even worse when they pull stuff like this! I'm gonna go nuts, I tell ya!" Cappy complained.

"Why do they have to be so difficult?" Panda asked.

"What are we gonna do?"

"How are we gonna know what they're saying?" The questions poured in.

"I got it!" Dexter exclaimed, silencing the others, who got closer. "We fight back."

"Whoa, pardner! I ain't hittin' no gal!"

"No, Howdy. We'll make up our own secret code. One that will confuse _them_…"

"Ah…I see what you're getting at…" They chuckled evilly.

In the mess hall at dinner, Hamtaro passed his bowl of soup to Oxnard. The gray-haired boy lifted up the submerged spoon to slurp its contents, but it was slapped away by Panda who cleared his throat and pointed his eyes at the noodles.

U WKHB ORRNLQJ (R they looking) It read.

QR (no), he spelled back.

Pashmina and Anisha laughed loudly as they read Candace's note. None of the girls seemed to care about what the boys were doing, making them agitated and more determined to annoy the girls back.

"Hey, _Panda_, look at what I spelled in my ABC soup!" Boss yelled, making a show of passing the bowl to his friend as Josie cackled at Sandy's letter, showing it to Bijou, who giggled a whole lot until Penelope snatched it out of her hand, being nosy.

Panda's hands slipped off the bowl and it camp falling down, splashing Anisha the most as it hit the table. She screamed, touching her black wig to see if it got wet.

"Guys! You're like, so-"

"Look what it spells!" Stan howled in laughter, pointing to Anisha's forehead. The other boys joined.

"What?" Penelope asked. "There's nothing wrong with S's or R's. You're all so dumb, Ookwee!"

"But it spells p-" Howdy covered Cappy's mouth.

"What? Tell us!"

"You have to tell us your code, too!"

"Fine. Now, what is it?"

"Every letter is represented by the third letter away it."

"Cool!"

"Now tell us yours," Maxwell said. The girls began to walk off, snickering.

"Suckers!" They yelled, causing the boys to groan.

"Guess we better make up a new code…"

"Or just give up all together..."

"I like the last one best..."


	17. For Ages Ten and Up

Yet Again Another Filler-Shot

For Ages Ten and Up

The Hams walked around the camp at night since there was nothing else to do and the counselors thought all the kids were asleep. But, despite their beliefs, the group of young teens snuck around the camp buildings to spy on the other ones still awake.

They reached the main office, crouching, and peeked in the window, still ducked.

"They're watching cartoons?"

"But, It's like, eleven…" Sandy pointed out, confused.

"Ha ha ha… Look, it's summer and they're wearin' winter clothes," Stan chuckled stupidly.

"Now they're inside and _still_ have on winter clothes," Candace said laughing with him in the same goofy manner.

"You two are such morons…Perrrfect for each other…" Mecca hissed, grinning.

"Yuck! Are you cr-"

"Shh!" The others abruptly shushed, covering their mouths.

Pashmina gasped, covering her own mouth.

"What?"

"I think I just heard the really fat one in the red coat swear!"

"But it's a cartoon! Are you sure?" Josie asked.

"God damn it! You bastards killed Kenny!" The television blared.

"Whoa! I'm likin' this show!" Boss said, enthusiastically.

"Welp, don't like it too much. Yer folks would kill ya if they caught ya'll watchin' this," Howdy said.

"So what?" Cappy screamed joyfully.

"Sh-"

"Who's out there?" someone shouted out the window.

"Dang it, Cappy!" The Hams scolded as they ran to the nearby shrubs to hide.


	18. Bye, Bruno

Disclaimer:…Stating the obvious makes a person sound ignorant. I'll just save face by putting a smart-ass remark…XD

Author's Note: Yeah. Again, I'm stuck…I have the first chapter of my next fic written, but, I don't know if I'll use it. I will most definitely revise it, though. Enough of my troubles, here's shot number eighteen! Enjoy!

Bye, Bruno

The trumpet sounded at dawn, but it wasn't the one that was used to wake everyone up. All of the campers had been stirring for about an hour now and were milling around the campgrounds.

Candace continued playing 'Taps' on her school instrument as the others stood solemnly, looking down into the tiny hole in which a small box was laid into the soil. Maxwell began to speak, Bible in one hand and a bunch of dirt in the other, standing on an old milk crate.

"We are all assembled here today to honor the memory of-"

"Wahaaaa!"

"Bruno the goldfish. He was a magnificent little thing, never having any intention of harming someone and yet was killed-"

"It's all my fault! Wahaaaa!"

"Cappy, could you please calm down? I'm trying to perform my first funeral here."

The younger boy sniffled. "Yes Sir…"

"Good. Now, where was I? Oh. He was killed in such a terrible way that it doesn't seem like an accident. But we were all there that fateful day in the main office, all there watching poor Bruno in his final minutes, thinking he'd always be there as a spectacle, something to watch as we waited for counselor Weiss to call us in as he swam around in his confining tank. I only pray now that he is no longer trapped, but is free to go wherever he wan-"

"Oh noooooo! Make it stoooop! Wahaaaa!" Cappy sobbed, causing a few others to join him. The group of black-clothed mourners wept on as Maxwell continued to conduct the ceremony.

"And now I say: ashes to ashes, dust to dust. May the soul of this poor animal rest in peace eternally as we lay him to rest here in the woods of Camp Greenwich to be never forgotten, to be sent to a place far better for him than this cruel earth," he finished, throwing the dirt onto the small box, covering it.

As they all started walking away, crying, Mecca swooped in on the dirty little box and picked it up with her talons, flying off. Nobody noticed until a moment later as Hamtaro spoke with Maxwell.

"Max, I gotta say, that was beautiful. Where did you le-"

"Don't eat that! Mecca, please! Let it goooooo! Stoooop! Wahaaaa!" Cappy chased after the golden hawk, who just took her meal off elsewhere. "I'm begging you!" She was too far away to catch now, and feeling hopeless, Cappy fell to his knees and screamed, "Whyyyyy?", continuing to carry on.

"Is he gonna be okay?" Sandy asked.

"He'll be over it by tomorrow," Panda replied.

"Hey, maybe this is how Bruno wanted to go," Stan said.

"You're sick!" Pashmina yelled.

"_Mecca's_ sick."

They weakly smiled and looked up in the tree where Mecca perched, tearing Bruno up without any mercy and cringed.


	19. Salute Your Shorts

Disclaimer:...Whooooo! I don't own Hamtaro! Let's celebrate! XD

Author's Note: It's the first day of Christmas break! Yay! Um yeah. I got at least SOMEWHERE with the epilogue and I shredded up my rough draft for my next fic's first chapter. (It wasn't worth crap...) So yeah. I'll be sure to finish up/start and get things posted, hopefully before the holidays. So...here's another shot! Hope you like it! Oh! And thanks, aznkidz! I LOVE getting new people to review, not that I don't like my old reviewers! XD So yeah. Thanks, all! AND I updated my profile, very subtly as always!

Salute Your Shorts

Stan's POV

SLAM! Oh crud. The door shut too loud! I hope nobody heard it…My plans would be ruined if I got caught. Whew. No one's around. Thank God! Now on to this cabin… I think it's Josie, Mecca, and Bijou's. I hope so. Those are three of the cutest girls in camp! Well, maybe not Mecca so much, but she's hot too, in her own freaky way…

Stan began to feel awkward holding the pair of red underwear in his trembling hand. It was his sister's and it made him feel wrong, but if he didn't take them, his plan of ultimately embarrassing all the girls would fail, humiliating himself instead. He snuck into the neighboring cabin and snatched three more pairs from the droors and ran off to his own cabin.

"Why do you have girl underwear?" Cappy asked, seeing the garments sprawled across the bunk. He cautiously picked up a light blue pair with two fingers, holding it away from him as he examined. He threw them back down hurriedly.

"You'll see…" Stan slyly said, grinning.

"You're not gonna wear them, are you?"

"No way, man!… Hey, Cr- Capster?" Stan chuckled nervously.

"Ha. Ha" A sarcastic tone left the small boy.

"I'm serious, it was a slip."

"Right. So, what did you want?"

"Okay, so there are eight girls, right?"

"Mmhm."

"And I only have seven pairs here."

"Yeah…?"

"So, who am I missing?"

"Ugh…Josie?"

"Nope." Stan held up the lavender pair.

"Sandy or Pashmina?" Stan shook his head, holding up the red and pink ones. "Anna, Penelope, or Bijou?" A light green, a yellow, and light blue pair were chucked at him. Only a black pair remained.

"I have Mecca's here, so that leaves…"

"Candace!" Both exclaimed.

"Thanks, buddy! I gotta get outta here!"

"Sure. Whatever…" Cappy replied. "…Sicko."

Maxwell's POV

Ahh…

Dexter's POV

Ahh…

Maxwell's POV

I think I'm in love…

Dexter's POV

I'm in love with the most wonderful girl in the whole world…

Maxwell's POV

I love her smile…

Dexter's POV

Her hair…

Maxwell's POV

Her eyes lighting up…

Dexter's POV

Her laugh…

Maxwell's POV

Her complexion…

Both POV

…HER UNDERPANTS!

"What's going on here?" Dexter demanded upon entering the cabin. His eyes were fixed on Cappy, whereas, Maxwell's were averted from the scene.

"It's Stan's idea!"

"What is he doing with my precious's undergarment?"

"It's part of a plan. I dunno…" The other two groaned.

As Stan passed the girls' showers, he heard a lovely voice singing. It wasn't amazing, but they were in key and on time. It didn't sound close to professional, but Stan still liked it.

"…I got rhythm, I got music, I got my man -- Who could ask for anything more? I got daisies In green pastures…" It was an old show tune from a play Stan recognized.

Then he realized it as Candace's voice and became confused, yet was mystified. He didn't think of her as a singer. She always seemed to be bellowing out things like one of the guys and frequently hid her beauty behind messy hair and the occasional orange denim ball cap. That, and her braces, but that wasn't her fault. Speaking of orange, there were her underwear. Stan hesitated for a moment, still listening to her, not wanting to leave just yet and feeling slightly reluctant because she was one of his friends.

"…Old man trouble, I don't mind him -- You won't find him Hangin' 'round my front or back door…" He shrugged it off and snatched her garment, running away, still thinking of her voice.

The next morning, the colorful array of panties rose up with the sun as the trumpet sounded to wake everyone up. All eyes immediately fell upon the flagpole and people began to laugh.

"STAAANLEEEY!"

Success!


	20. The Fourth Filler Shot

Another Filler-Shot 

Saw Through my Heart

Panda's POV

Why does she keep staring at me? Doesn't she know I don't like being looked at? Well, I do when there is something important to show or explain, but usually more than one person is there and I don't feel so nervous. Then again, I don't usually feel anxious around another person by themselves anyway, so why is _she_ creeping me out so much? I never took her as one to stare. It would be nice if she talked as she looked. It would make me feel better somehow. We don't know each other very well, so maybe that's it. I know she's really shy, but geez! Sometimes I wish-…

WHAM!

"Ow!" Panda yelped, holding his thumb, which now felt like it had a pulse.

"Do ye need a bandage?" Anna meekly asked.

"No…I'm fine," Panda groaned in response. "I normally don't miss the nail, but today must be an off day." His grip was still on his throbbing thumb.

"Are ye gonna quit?"

"Nah. Too much to finish up." He shook off the pain.

"Oh…"

"Do you mind handing me another set of nails? I'm almost out." She retrieved the package and gave it to him.

"Here."

"Thanks." It was quiet again. That's when Panda realized Anna had moved awfully close to him. Her head hovered over his shoulder and her hands rested on his head. "Um…"

"Panda…" She was blushing terribly now. "Do ye like me as much as yer carpentry…?"

His warm black eyes shined brightly. She had said the magic word…Carpentry.

"I _love_ wood work!… You're okay, I guess."

Anna smiled widely. It was something, at least.


	21. Four, Three, Then Two

Disclaimer: ...I'm bored and unoriginal, so yeah. I'll put this bluntly. I do not own Hamtaro or any places, characters, whatever from it. The End.

Author's Note: This one isn't even NEAR my best, but the thoughts bothered me until I finally wrote them out. I give you all permission to flame. I tend to burn myself on stuff anyway, ask E24, so thanks.

Four, Three, Then Two

Cappy's POV

Girls are silly things. They laugh at dumb stuff and cry for no reason, just because something is 'so sad.' Tch. They get on my nerves. Girls aren't any fun either. They don't play rough and when they do, they always complain that a nail got broke. They scream and get all close to the boys when something not so scary frightens them and they get mean every so often. They'll go for about three weeks being all nice and cutsie, then turn into yelling she-devils like Mecca is almost all of the time! Why? (sigh) They're so confusing. They're so bratty. They're so…fun to spy on…

To make myself understand the girls at camp better, I watched Bijou, Sandy, Penelope, and Pashmina today. I saw a side of those friends that I've never seen nor want to ever again. It all started this morning after breakfast in the yard by the main office. I hid in a tree to do my 'observing'.

The four were on the far side of camp, so I couldn't hear what they were saying but I could see what was going on. Pashmina was holding the left handle of the jump rope and Bijou held the other as Sandy skipped. Penelope wanted a turn, but none of them left their spots and just ignored her. She got mad and started to yell in protest, which I thought was pretty funny. I don't understand though. Why don't they just take a lesson from us boys and beat the tar out of each other when no one is listening? Finally, Penelope got so fed up that she stomped away from the others to do something funner with better people. I don't think they noticed and felt kinda bad for her. Why would her friends do that? Mine would, but only for a minute, as a joke. These girls weren't kidding.

Well, Penelope wasn't the only one who ran off mad. Apparently, as she did her stupid jumping routine, Sandy was being taunted. I don't know why or what for, but she just stopped in mid-air, turned all red, and nearly tripped on the rope. I mean, I like making fun of Sandy too, and can be really good at it, but I guess Pashmina kicked my butt at that because she was marched right up to and hit on the head by Sandy as she ran off, of course, crying.

As Pashmina cried herself, Bijou walked over to comfort her. They stayed in their little niche for a while as I wondered where the other girls were. Surely, Candace or Josie could settle things. Heck, Mecca could scare them into making up! But, maybe involving more people would end up in more war. I dunno. All I know is that I. Hate. Girls. They're. So. Creepy. I. Wish. I. Didn't. Have. To. Deal. With. Their. Crap! There, I said it and I'm not ashamed of it, either. I don't know what their problem is, or what was going on, but I _do_ know I'm never getting married to one of them. I want to be alone forever if it means I'm safe from _them_. Heck, I wouldn't even let one kiss me on the cheek! Yuck! I might get infected, anyway. So there it is, if you get what the girls were doing, I don't think I even wanna know. It's probably just another stupid girly thing that boys aren't supposed to understand, anyhow. And what really gets me is that they'll be best buddies all over again like nothing even happened by tomorrow. Ugh, girls…


	22. Drowned Hams

Drowned Rats-er Hams

Oxnard's POV

So here we are. It's a beautiful Sunday morning. The sun is out, everything is warm, the water is clear as crystal and is very smooth. The small waves the bow makes bubble up as anyone who is leaning against the rail gets lightly splashed with the mist. Lake Fortnig is the best one of all at camp. Too bad the counselors don't let us swim here. The only reason we're on this old motor boat today is because we have a chaperone. And despite it being Jewel, who is actually manageable today, all is peaceful and great. Everything was going fine and we were all having a good time just as we sat down to eat our picnic. That's when…

Creeeak…Thump! Creeeak…Thump!

"Hey! What was that?"

Creeeak…THUD!

"Whoa!"

The small ship lurched violently, upsetting the card table everyone was gathered around. Small, clear packages began to slip down the boat's slick wooden floor.

"Hey! My Twinkie!" Oxnard cried.

"You can live without it," Mecca snapped bluntly.

"Hey! _My_ Twinkie!" Mecca turned to Hamtaro.

"What did I just tell your moron friend?"

He hung his head, sighing. "I can live without it…"

"Well gang, there's nothing to be scared about. The screen says we're not taking on any water, so we're going to be fine," Josie announced, hopping from her perch at the wheel.

"Ugh Josie…? I think your computer's wrong," Dexter pointed out nervously.

"What do you mean? It never lies!"

"You might wanna look down…" As she did, something made a sloshing sound as her foot moved.

"… Oh dang!" Many others took this as the cue to start running around, screaming in sheer panic and the rest stood still, waiting for instructions or bracing themselves for the worst to come.

"Um… Kids. Don't run… Stop… screaming. Everything will… be okay," Jewel tried to settle the mob of scared campers down as the water rose, but it was unsuccessful.

"Shut up, Webster! We're all gonna die!" Cappy yelled. The counselor curled up on the submerged floor and began to cry as well.

"Everyone, Please! Calm down! There's no need to… Oh screw it! Cappy's right! We're doomed!" And down went cool-headed Maxwell.

Boss' POV

With all the noise outside, I decided to get up. As you would guess, I got seasick again and decided to lay down after drinking Anna's tonic she made for me. I was feeling better after that and my nap and got up to see what the noise was about. I stepped off of the cot and my sock and sneaker were instantly soaked. I looked down, and there it was- water on the floor up to my shins…

"Eep!… Josie! What did you do?" the tall boy squealed and ran outside where everyone else was now quiet, all huddled up together. He squeezed in with the crowd and joined in their talk as the water continued to rise.

"What's gonna happen?" It was to their thighs.

"Are we going to die, Ookyoo?"

"I'm scared." Had risen up to their bellies.

"I wanna go home!"

"I'm so sorry, guys… I'm a terrible captain."

"No you aren't." Everyone fell dead silent as the water went past their chests.

"Has anyone seen Anna?" Mecca asked, eyes darting around.

"I didn't think you cared…" Hamtaro said, spitting water from his mouth.

"… I-I don't. It's just… we could get into a catastrophic amount of trouble if we return without her… Then again, with _you_ here," She turned to Jewel "we would get in trouble anyway."

The older girl actually looked scared. "I swear I won't tell! Just get me outta here so I can see my boyfriend again!"

"Does anybody know where Anna is?" Pashmina asked, getting everyone back on track, trying to keep her nose from going underwater as she held up Cappy and Penelope, who were both small.

"Welp, ah haven't heard a peep from her all day," Howdy replied. The others stared, sweat dropping.

After a few more minutes of silence, the inevitable was about to happen. With one Ham missing and all hope gone, all stayed quiet and waited for their watery fate.

"Well, this is it…" Panda gulped. Even he couldn't have done anything to stop the boat from sinking.

"I love you guys," Candace sobbed.

No one noticed the water level falling as they cried on and tightly embraced each other. They then realized it was back down to their ankles by the time Anna climbed back on board, all wet and weary. They ran up to her gleefully.

"Anna! How'd you do that?" they asked, making her blush.

"It's simple, really…" And for once, our shy heroine spoke more than just a small, unelaborated sentence…then fainted.


	23. Sweet as S'mores

Disclaimer: I don't own Hamtaro. (Yawns)

Author's Note: If anyone's confused about what Anna did (cough) lupyne (cough) j/k XD, go to my OCs section and check her out. It says something along the lines of her being a mechanic. Motor boat...mechanic...yeah. I'll stop there! XD Anyway, here's the next to last one-shot for this part. I may start a part two. (Still debating whether or not I'll even start it, and if I do whether or not it will be in the same story. Maybe I should let you guys choose...) I'm still truckin' away on that new fic and epilogue, so hopefully, I'll get something up soon. Wish me luck and enjoy!

Sweet as S'mores 

Howdy's POV

She sends off this vibe that says, 'Screw ya'll! I'm goin' someplace better!' and then turns herself into some sort of critter all the time. She acts all tough and strong, when really she can be gentle and weak like any other gal. Her mean and rude remarks are just a shield to hide her true feelin's from everyone else. Despite all this, she's still my girl. Ask her and she'll deny it. But, ah'll tell ya now, when we're alone, she can be a real sweetie and ah love her to bits…

"I said stop it now…" A growl came from Mecca as Howdy scooted closer to her on their log.

"Aww…C'mon! Jist gimme some sugar."

"What did you say?"

"Pucker up, Doll!" He leaned closer.

"Ugh!" She pushed herself away from him and stomped to the other side of the fire. As she jolted from the log bench, her long strands of hair whipped Howdy with a bristly sting.

"She likes meh…"

"Howdy, Mecca likes you as much as I'd enjoy getting a set of rabies shots," Dexter sneered supposedly realistically.

"You'd want _that_?"

"No, you dolt! You don't get my point. Just drop it."

"Nah. What're ya'll gettin' at, Dex?"

"I'm saying Mecca doesn't like you back. Face it, she never will. I don't think she can…"

"She-she…" Howdy's squinty eyes filled with tears as he looked across the circle at Mecca, who, from seeing his pain, looked away from the boy and left to go into her tent.

Cappy slapped the molten marshmallow on to his graham cracker, piecing it all together with a chunk of chocolate and the other half of the graham. He did this at the same time most of the others did as everyone was standing by the fire.

"C'mon, dude! You have to have _at least _one." Stan tried getting Howdy to join.

The sulking Ham picked his head up. "Nah. Ah ain't hungry," he replied weakly, even though the smell of all the dessert sandwiches were driving him crazy.

The scent around their cluster of tents had gotten Mecca's attention, for she was aroused from her surface dream. She sleepily poked her head out and sniffed the air. Walking closer to the group and investigating, she asked,

"What is it that you are about to ingest?"

"A S'more," Candace answered with her mouth full of the crumbly thing. Chunks of the snack were stuck to her braces and Stan laughed, getting elbowed in the ribs.

"Some more of what?" All fell silent and looked at her.

"Are you kidding? You don't know what a S'more is?" Cappy asked.

"… No." They continued staring.

"Hey. You like, changed your mind?" Sandy asked.

" 'Bout what?"

"Making a S'more."

"Yup. But it ain't for meh," Howdy finally answered, evilly.

"Oh Howdy…" Sandy began, not noticing his expression. "Why are you so like, nice to her? She like, treats you terribly."

"…" A smirk etched itself on the boy's face as he watched Mecca's interrogation while pulling the marshmallow out of the fire.

"So… Do you understand now?"

"That you're basically saying that this is diabetes in sandwich form?"

"Ha ha ha. Real funny," Boss said in sarcasm.

"Just try one! You won't know until you try," Hamtaro cheerfully tried to coax.

"They look disg-"

"Shove this one, Mecca! I'm sick of yer games!" Howdy came up from behind her and crammed his handiwork in her mouth, glaring. Everyone stared at him in shock.

She glared back, trying not to touch the sickly sweet treat with her mouth, teeth, or tongue as she caught the meaning of his glare. He wanted change. His eyes said it all, 'If we're gonna be goin' out, we have to be doin' it openly. Ah'm tired of you actin' like two different people when we are and ain't alone.' Her expression hardened as she moved her arm, raised her hand and whapped him with it. The others gasped, but weren't completely surprised.

"You wretch!" she screamed at him, not realizing she'd swallowed the S'more whole as she did so.

His eyes now begged. 'Please, Mecca. Ah'm a purdy reasonable guy. Ah jist want us to be happy, but ah giss that'd be two different things…'

"… I can't believe you… could actually do that! Where has this side of you been all my life?" She leapt to him after he had already backed away from her to the log and they both sat down closely together, nuzzling.

"Huh?"

"I don't think we're supposed to know…" Josie said.

"Weirdoes…" Penelope scoffed.

"Another victim…" Cappy sighed. And they left it at that.

"Well, I don't know about any of you, but I'm bushed," Panda yawned later that night. Most followed suit, agreeing.

"Are you lovebirds coming?" Oxnard called over his shoulder, chuckling to himself. Mecca snapped up angrily as Howdy held her down, calmly shaking his head.

"We'll leave the tent open for you, Mec," Pashmina said.

"Good night…" Mecca trailed off as everyone zipped their doors closed. She noticed Howdy staring and turned to him, tilting her head on his shoulder for a kiss. As their lips secretly met for the umpteenth time, a red glow came from under them, emitted by Mecca's amulet as her round Ham-Human ears pointed out like a cat's and she pulled away, looking at him. She then saw a small brown smudge on the corner of his mouth from his S'more. With a sandpaper textured tongue, she licked it off, blushing. Howdy blushed as well and grinned.

"So I giss we're _purr_fect now, right?"

"Shut up, Howdy…" Mecca replied, though she was laughing. She was the only one who ever did.


	24. Greenwhich Chips

Disclaimer: I don't own Hamtaro. (yawns again) Stupid insomnia! I also don't own the songs I'll Tumble 4 Ya by CULTURE CLUB, Every Breath You Take by The Police, or (as I forgot to mention 13 or so chapters ago XD) I Swear by John Michael Montgomery/ All-4-One.

Author's Note: Duuuude! lupyne, what the hey? Get out of my head, you psychic freak! XD That's what I was thinking to do! Dude, you have to stop doing that! haha. Anyway, yeah. Sorry about the long wait. School. Exams. Had a cold. Dog's birthday. UGH! I think I will do a part two. Just for you guys! Here's the last one-shot of part one! I hope you like it! Again, I don't know whether or not I'll be putting it in the same fic or in a new one, so yeah. You pick. Here we go! Sorry if the ending's a bit rushed! I sorta improvised while I typed! XD

Add 1/2 cup of Semi-Sweet Greenwich Chips for a Good Farewell

Hamtaro's POV

I splashed myself with cold water as the water pressure in the shower lowered, making it harder to bathe. All the guys in my cabin beat me to the shower, but I don't mind. I just wish they'd have left a little warm water for me! At least I'm not alone. Stan's suffering as well in the next stall, but he's singing. Hmm…That's weird. He's not bad, either, it's jus he never sings and I've never heard this song before. Maybe he's making it up…?

"…_Since you've gone I've been lost without a trace_

_  
I dream at night I can only see your face_

_  
I look around but it's you I can't replace_

_  
I feel so cold and I long for your embrace_

_  
I keep crying baby, baby, please…_"

"Hey Stan, what song is that?" I asked, being curious as usual.

He stopped and cleared his throat. "Hm? Oh! Ever hear of 'Every Breath You Take'?" he said, continuing. "_Oh, can't you see_

_  
You belong to me_

_  
How my poor heart aches_

_  
With every breath you take _

Every move you make

_  
Every vow you break_

_  
Every smile you fake_

_  
Every claim you stake_

_  
I'll be watching you _

Every move you make…"

Oh. _Now_ I recognize it! I _have _heard this song before! It's kinda old, but they play it a zillion times on the radio and I can't believe I forgot it! Gosh, I can be so dumb…Haha. Then again, maybe Stan isn't as good as I was thinking…

I just had a funny thought. Maybe he's singing because of some girl…Maybe…Candace! Ha ha ha! That'd be the day!

Darn. The water stopped and I was still covered in suds. It stopped where Stan was too. We just stood there for a minute.

"Okay. Now I'm mad…" Stan grumbled.

"You should've gotten up earlier," I say.

"I would've, but that noxious gas everyone let out into the air kinda knocked me out." I laughed. "It's not funny, man! I mean now look, we can't even wash ourselves when the most petrified public showerers ran into here and used up all the water!"

"I don't think _anyone_ in our cabin would pass up washing today after we got so carried away last night with that fart contest and all," I chuckled out.

"Yeah! Especially Max!"

"I can't believe he-"

"Oh God, that was funny! I guess he's too polite for his own good!"

At this, we both laughed really hard and I nearly slipped on the wet floor. We continued to cackle at our friend's expense then let out girlish screams as we were pelted with even colder water than before as the showers decided to spit again.

We stopped yelling at hearing someone coming down the trail and instantly peeked out the door cracks after hearing their ridiculing laughter and merciless taunting about the confidential mishap in our cabin last night with surprise and smirks.

"Maxy crapped himself, he pooped his pants! He tried farting so hard, he- Ahhahahahahahah!" Candace couldn't even finish because of her giggles as she tried skipping around the red-faced Maxwell, who hung his head as his cousin carried on. " Bang, bang! Maxwell's brownish 'hammer' slipped down his khaki pants!"

Me and Stan were already in tears before she sang that and now we couldn't contain it anymore. I snorted loudly and Stan howled in laughter as we watched the two continue down the gravel path with big grins on our faces.

"How does _she_ know about that? I thought we all promised him no one would squeal!" I said, recovering.

"We did, but I guess word _slipped_ out!" Again, our stomachs ached from chuckling so hard.

**sUmMeR oF 1995!**

Was what the white banner drooping over the bleachers said in drippy red and blue block letters hand painted by all of us during Arts 'N Crafts. Handprints littered and framed the saying along with one footprint, made by Howdy, which added to the corny sign. We poured our hearts out over this thing for two days and were excited to get our picture taken in front of it with our friends.

Most of the one hundred and thirty campers from across the United States, with the exception of a few, gathered up into their groups and cliques. Mine was the biggest and most unexclusive and we stood in the middle of the front three rows.

I looked around as counselor Weiss set up the camera and tripod. Everyone was divided into the groups I had suspected- Troy with the snotty girls and stupid jerks, Jewel with the other counselors in the back row, standing, and me and the Hams together. But even as a large and friendly group, we still managed to subdivide ourselves. Oxnard, Howdy, Dexter, Pashmina, and Penelope surrounded me and Bijou, who I just realized spends a lot of time next to me but I don't really mind because she's nice and fun to be around. Sandy, Max, Stan, and Candace stood in front of us next to Boss, who looked a little sad because Josie was picked up earlier this morning by one of her father's old crew members' sons. Cam, I think his name was, but that's getting me side-tracked! Heehee.

Hmm…now that I mention it, Howdy looks down too.

'Mecca left last night, that's why,' I remind myself.

It was strange, all of the early pick-ups happened from four to six yesterday, but I coulda sworn I saw her at dinner. Cappy said he saw a yellow bat flying outside his cabin last night, but I don't believe him. Nine-year-olds lie badly and are really dumb.

So, next to that group were Panda, Anna- who shied behind him- my sister, and Cappy.

I looked around at my group again, feeling the holes needing to be filled by Josie and Mecca, and soon Candy and Anna too. I made a lot of friends this summer, but Josie, Mecca, Candace and Anna were the closest and I felt bad that two of them weren't here right now.

I didn't think I'd be able to genuinely smile because of this glum air until my eyes caught Candace at work with her antics again by ripping her dirty old cap off, causing her hair to tuft and frizz in spots, and squash it down on Stan's head in a sloppy way. They cracked up as usual and Candace tried smoothing out her hair.

With mouths open wide and eyes squinted closed is how they will always be remembered by everyone at camp because that's when Weiss snapped the picture, and for once we sang the lame camp song right, with no making stuff up, feeling the good ol' camp spirit.

_Camp Greenwich is number one_

_We have lots of fun_

_Making memories to share_

_Because we care_

_And everybody knows_

_That we won't goodbye to friends_

_And after the cold winter snow…_

_Melts, we will meet again!_

Cheeeeeeese! Hahahahahahahahahahahaha! This had been the best time of my so-far short life, I decided, laughing along.

Hamtaro sat with his elbows resting on his jeans and his hands cradling his head as he waited on the bench with the others, looking at his sneakered foot and tapping it occasionally. He'd avert his eyes every once in a while to check on things around him. Most of the campers were gone and only the Hams and a few others milling around remained.

They were going to car-pull in the William's van, Mr. Greyston's work truck, and in the Smith's cars and meet their parents at the local ice cream place, as was decided before this trip nearly two months before. The Jones' extra large van would be used as backup.

Hamtaro scraped his foot across the pavement, its sound being muted seconds later by another noise. It was at this time that he looked up and over at Pashmina, who gasped at seeing something off to her right and poked Sandy, who looked at it and jabbed Bijou excitedly, creating a small chain. The three girls along with Hamtaro, Cappy, and Oxnard looked.

Panda embraced the shy red-head who'd been agonizing over him and silently crying for his attention for nearly half this summer before she headed to a car, making she and the spectators gasp.

Anna looked as though she would die right on the spot. When she thought her magic moment was over and stepped back, Panda moved forward and leaned in so they were face-to-face. She stared into his warm black eyes in terror as he brushed a big strand of her hair away and touched her cheek. It turned red and felt hot immediately as he planted a tiny kiss on the freckled thing. She let out a small squeak of happiness then fainted. The group laughed quietly and smiled at them as Panda bent down to pick her up.

Beep! Beep!

"Daddy!" Candace sprung up and grabbed her bags, ending hers and Stan's game of Thumb War.

"Sweetheart!" Mr. Fox called back. Stan walked over after being waved to by Candace as her father helped load the trunk. "How was your summer?"

"Grrrreat! Daddy, this is Stan."

Mr. Fox threw the last bag in and closed the trunk, facing Stan.

"Why hello, Stanley. You wouldn't happen to be this young lady's little boyfriend, now would you?" he asked with a smile and an extended hand. Stan gulped.

"Daddyyy…" Candace whined, rolling her eyes.

"I'm just kidding. Put 'er there, sonny."

Stan, still shocked, stared at the hand for a second, sweating. He opened and closed his mouth like a fish a few times before Candace cut in.

"C'mon, puke stain! He just wants to shake hands!" she snickered. Her father gave her a look. She shrugged.

"Oh! Um. Yeah-er yes." He gulped again and stiffly gripped the man's hand, frozen, making the others laugh.

"It was nice meeting you," Mr. Fox said warmly, turning to his daughter. "Well, Bun, let's go."

"Bye, Stan! Bye, everyone!" Candace called from the open window as the car's ignition started, breaking Stan's heart.

"Bye, Candy!"

They began to pull out of the driveway as she stuck her head back out and waved, yelling to her friend, "Write me, baby!" She winked at him. Stan waved weakly. Then they were gone.

He didn't leave his spot until the car was just a speck on the horizon and sulked back to the others. He slumped down on the bench with a frown and Sandy scooted closer, grabbing his hand and held it tight. She knew how he felt because she'd lost her new best friend minutes ago as well. They looked at each other with a weak smile, squeezing hands tighter comfortingly.

Hamtaro hung his head. He always hated saying goodbye, especially when it came to friends. The patterned red-head felt four times as sad now and he wished for someone to comfort him as well. A small, warm hand wrapped itself around his. Startled, he picked it up and saw Bijou. Her bright sympathetically plastered-on smile and soft sea green eyes made him feel alright again and his hand returned the embrace, letting her rest her head on his shoulder as her sad eyes emptied out all over his shoulder.

The main groundskeeper returned with his hose from the south yard and lay it by the spigot, walking away to find a rake from inside. For a moment all the Hams just sat there or stood by the pavilion, quietly talking as Cappy nudged Penelope and the two sauntered off to the wall, giggling.

"So, do you want to ride with my parents, Dext-ahhh!" Pashmina screamed as Penelope shot the hose at her. "How the-"

"Gimme it!" Cappy snatched it from her and started spraying more Hams, who ran away or at him and stole it.

The PA system fired up and began playing the radio as the janitor walked back out of the main office building, content he now had something to listen to as he worked, not noticing the kids' horseplay. Boss was now in control of the hose.

"Say hello to my little friend!" he roared, squirting Howdy, who yelped and chuckled, taking it to spay Dexter in the ear, but it slipped out of his hands and went crazy, slithering on the ground like a giant serpent, getting everyone wet as it watered the thirsty yellowing grass.

Another song began to play, making the ones sitting on the sidelines get up to dance. Everyone was out in the chaotic yard now, singing along or chatting while laughing and jumping in glee with their friends, enjoying their last few minutes at camp and of this summer.

_Downtown we'll drown_

_  
We're in our never splendor_

_  
Flowers_

_  
Showers_

_  
Who's got the new boy gender_

_  
I'll be your baby_

_  
I'll be your score_

_  
I'll run the gun for you_

_  
And so much more_

_  
I'll tumble for ya_

_  
I'll tumble for ya_

_I'll tumble for ya_

_I'll for you_

_I'll tumble for ya_

_I'll tumble for ya_

_I'll tumble for ya_

_  
I'll tumble for YOU_

_  
Uptown their sound_

_  
Is like the native_

_  
You send her_

_  
Junction_

_  
Function_

_  
The boy with pop is slender_

_  
Did he say maybe_

_  
Or I'm not sure_

_  
He'll be a boy for you_

_  
But you need more_

_  
I'll tumble for ya_

_  
I'll tumble for ya_

_  
I'll tumble for ya_

_  
I'll tumble for YOU_

_  
I'll tumble for ya_

_  
I'll tumble for ya_

_  
I'll tumble for ya_

_  
I'll tumble for YOU_

_  
I get a crazy feeling_

_  
That chases in my head_

_  
It's nothing that you do to me_

_  
It's nothing that you said_

_  
It's love in stereo_

_  
And when I can't let go I say:_

_  
I'll be your baby_

_  
I'll be your score_

_  
I'll run the gun for you_

_  
And so much more_

_  
I'll tumble for ya_

_I'll tumble for ya_

_I'll tumble for ya_

_  
I'll tumble for YOU_

_  
Downtown we'll drown_

_  
We're in our never splendor_

_  
Flowers_

_  
Showers_

_  
Who's got the new boy gender_

_  
I'll be your baby_

_I'll be your score_

_  
I'll run the gun for you_

_  
And so much more_

_I'll tumble for ya_

_I'll tumble for ya_

_I'll tumble for ya_...

As the song wound down, Hamtaro looked around at all of his ecstatic and soaking friends. He smiled at all of them, despite his uncomfortable wetness. They were oblivious to his watching, they were so caught up with their socializing and playing. He looked around some more and started thinking that, indeed…

_  
_All POV

…this was the best summer ever!


	25. PART TWO: Revenge of The Campers

Disclaimer: I don't own Hamtaro or any things like that, so yeah.

PART TWO

Revenge of The Campers

"Stanley Williams! Hey!"

It seemed as though Stan had just arrived, gotten everything stowed away in the big counselors' cabin, and changed when suddenly this woman had attached herself to him. He gaped down at the brunette whose giggling face was buried in his shirt and blushed.

"Your name wouldn't happen to be Gabe by any chance, would it?" he asked. The girl giggled, looking up at him.

"What?"

"Gabriel, the angel…You wouldn't happen to be one, now would you?"

"You big flirt," she retorted, punching him lightly on the arm.

"Actually, I was being serious this time…" He couldn't take his eyes off of her.

"C'mon! You know who I am!"

"Um…Do I?" The young woman smiled widely, still giggling.

"Dexy! Stop it!" Pashmina laughed, falling to the ground. Dexter fell with her.

"I'm not tickling you _that_ bad, am I?"

"Yes!"

Cappy sighed, watching the two older Hams with his arm draped around the shoulder of

"Penelope! Make him stop!"

"Sorry Sissy. You're on your own."

"Pen-el-o-peeee!"

"Alright. I'll stop," Dexter caved.

Cappy laughed faintly, still looking down in thought. With his thinking and Pashmina gone, everything was quiet. He felt Penelope's gaze.

"What?"

"Nothin'. You just look so cute when you're concentrating."

Cappy reddened, pulling his cap over his face. "Penny…" She laughed.

"What were you thinking about?"

"This camp. That whole summer. How I hated girls."

"You don't _still_ hate us, do you?" Penelope teased.

"…" His silence made her worry.

"Do you?" Cappy stayed quiet, staring at the grass.

"Um…I really don't know, lady," Stan tried to explain.

"Yeah you do!"

"No…I don't think so…"

"C'mon!"

"At least give me a clue…?"

"Um…no?" Cappy finally answered.

"I think I'm gonna go find Pashy." She pushed his arm off of herself and hurried away.

'…I don't think I do. I haven't for a long time, anyway…' Cappy wanted to say as he watched Penelope run off.

"So…Recognize me yet?"

"Ugh…"

Stan stared at her lips. Normally, he recognized people by the way their mouths moved, or by the color, size, and shape of their teeth. He got nothing. Not. A. Thing. He listened to her voice again. It wasn't familiar. Then it hit him…her eyes!

Only one person in his whole entire life had brown eyes as rich as hers and that was

"Candace Fox!"

"There ya go!"

"Aaaaaah!" They screamed gleefully as Stan spun her around in their embrace.

"I have a bleeding child!" Boss called, rushing into the nurse's station with a young boy under one of his strong arms. A familiar older woman came out from the back.

"Little Boss Jones? I didn't think I'd see you again! Hello!"

"Hi. Um…Yeah. I'm not really here to chat." He indicated the boy.

"Oh my! Well, Honey, we'll get you fixed up right away." She carted him off as Boss was about to sit down in a waiting chair. As he lowered himself, the old chair suspiciously creaked and groaned, causing him to shoot back up. "Why don't you have a seat for a minute?"

"Oh, no. I'm good," Boss hurriedly replied. "Say, ugh…Is Josie here?"

"Josie? You mean the little girl who wanted to be a vet?"

"A marine vet," Boss heatedly corrected, but she didn't hear.

"Oh heavens no! She stopped volunteering here five years ago when she began her second year of college! Haven't seen her since."

"Oh…"

"So, what have you been up to, Boss? Surely, you're out of college by now."

"Yeah. I'm going through Med school right now to further my degree. Most my friends still have a year of regular college to go. Some are already graduated."

"That's nice. Why couldn't _you_ have taken care of Billy, then?" she teased.

"Don't have a license yet, ma'am."

"Oh. Well, Billy, I'm all done now. I hope to see you soon, Boss! Good luck back at school!"

"I still have all summer!" he fake-laughed.

Boss sulked his way over to the younger boy's cabin then crashed at his own.

"Hey everyone! Guess who's here!" Stan said opening the big cabin's door, stepping in and to the side to reveal Candace.

"CANDY!"

"HI!"

"Hey, Foxy!"

Candace's smile vanished instantly. "Hello, Troy. I didn't think I'd have to see you…"

"Here at the greatest camp in America?"

"Actually, I was looking for 'ever again'."

"Ooh. Ouch!" Troy frowned at her displeased tone and matching sour expression. She grinned, giggling. "Huh?"

"It's nice to see you again," she told him.

"Not for me…" Oxnard muttered. "This is a nightmare."

"It'll be fine, Oxy," Hamtaro said.

Troy laughed. "I thought you were really pissed, I mean-"

"I'm an actress. Get used to it," she cackled, walking away from Stan to talk with Troy. "So, how's everything going…?"

"Grr…" Stan stalked off in the opposite direction in a slight huff.

After dinner, all the campers and counselors gathered around the stone fireplace to meet each other and form groups. As names were read and people were assigned, some of the Hams noticed they were missing somebody.

"Hey, like, where's Boss?" Sandy asked, hushed.

"I don't know," Cappy replied, whispering as well.

"Is he like, still at the cabin?"

"I don't know."

"Was he like, at supper?"

"I don't know."

"Do you know anything?" Penelope glared at him.

Cappy just shrugged and lightly said,

"I don't know!" This got a few chuckles, but none from Penelope.

"…Corrine Barkley, Maddie Carthwig, Lucas Crisp, Christine Duvalle, Carrie Finch, Karl Jansen, Jenny Lang, Davis McCrey, Polly Parkinson, Matt Robins, Greg Swift…Howdy Lawlace, Stan Williams, Mecca Arekeseyeba…? Sorry if I got that wrong," the main counselor said, moving down the list.

Mecca was here?

Howdy's eyes opened as wide as their squinted selves could. He looked around, scanning the large room. She was no where to be seen.

"Huh?" he managed to utter. His friends looked equally confused.

"Maybe she signed up but couldn't do it," Panda suggested.

"Maybe…" some others agreed as everyone was dismissed.

Walking up the cabin's steps, Stan watched Cappy fail at putting his arm around Penelope's shoulder with a surprisingly happy expression after getting blown off by her and Troy succeed at getting his around Candace's, only for a moment. The brunette slapped his hand off of her but held it as they walked into the cabin. Stan glared.

"Jerk," he muttered through gritted teeth, biting the inside of his cheek and bitterly thought, 'Candace would never even think about wanting to be with you…'

Once everyone was in and the door was shut, they felt a colder air about the place than they did before. Then they saw it. Her- Mecca, strewn across her bunk with that same old, but now less intense scowl on her porcelain face, even as she slept. The Hams smiled at her.

"Figures. She always picks the strangest times to come and go…" Dexter chuckled, elbowing Howdy, who still gaped at her.

Had she gotten prettier? Howdy kept wondering this as he stared on at his old camp sweetheart in disbelief and stupor. He lightly chuckled at Dexter's statement, absent-mindedly, as to not seem rude.

"Hey, gang!" Boss roared heartily.

"Like, where were you? You like, totally missed out on dinner and everything." He didn't answer, but asked,

"What's wrong, guys?" instead, after noticing some of their upset expressions.

"Nothin'…" the ones who 'knew who they were' dribbled.

"Well, I know something' that'll cheer you up!" he said enthusiastically, masking his own, slight, disappointment. "While you all were out, I set up a computer in the corner over there. Has internet and everything!"

"Yay…" those same few replied in a simplified fashion.

Everyone was asleep now. Boss crept out of his bunk and snuck across the room to the computer to test it out.

After a few hours of not being able to fall asleep and several game sites, a loud ping indicating someone had sent something to him sounded. Fumbling in a startled way with the volume, he closed out the page he was on and opened up his messenger program, which he had forgotten to sign out of earlier.

Boss quickly looked behind him to see if the rest were still sleeping and turned back to the screen, satisfied. He was astonished that no one had woken up between the bright light emitted from the computer or from the loud noise, but he became even more so with the IM. It was simple, but it was from a stranger. Probably one who was at another site he went to as well and checked out his profile.

BrittTheBrit: asl?

He typed back.

BossMan81: 24md.c., u?

BrittTheBrit: 23f?

BossMan81: u don't know where u r?

BrittTheBrit: i could tell u in nautical miles, but i'd have to wake up cap'n.

Nautical miles. Boss smiled at this. It sounded familiar. They typed again.

BrittTheBrit: she's a real b.-.h if u wake her up.

BossMan81: lol. u on a boat or something?

BrittTheBrit: actually, yea.

Boss held in his breath painfully.

BossMan81: kewl. g2g.

He signed out with a strange, almost overwhelmingly sad feeling. The girl he just chatted with reminded him a lot of Josie somehow.


	26. The Fifth Filler Shot

Disclaimer: ...(Yawn) All I own are my OCs. No Hamtaro charcters or places or whatnot.

Author's Note: I know what you're thinking, 'A filler already?' Well, to face it, I've written up about four or five more for this half, but none are good enogh for being this early. They're more like middle-to-end vignettes. Like, I dunno how to explain this but I just dn't think they'd fit in at the moment. There! XD Anyway, enjoy!

IM, UM, We All M

The storm that had been brewing all day finally came. Whether it was late at night or early in the morning, Boss didn't know. He was busy looking up information for his paper on the many rare diseases that effect the brain's tissues and its stem when suddenly his IM box popped up. He had the volume off, but tonight it didn't matter for the storm became more fierce. It was a wonder no one had woken up.

BrittTheBrit: hi. u there?

BossMan81: yea. hi.

BrittTheBrit: I dunno wat 2 say.

BossMan81: me neither. i'm bored.

BrittTheBrit: me 2...

BossMan81: …

BossMan81: hey, can u send me a pic of urself?

BrittTheBrit: y?

BossMan81: just to make sure ur not a man. lol.

BrittTheBrit: lol. sure.

BossMan81: thnx.

Boss smiled. As the link came up on his screen as her message, he watched his friends sleep, catching Candace diving into Troy's bunk and hearing her chattered explanation as he angrily grumbled back in displeasure, rolling over only slightly and taking all of the blankets with him. Boss rolled his eyes and clicked on the link. It began to download.

1,2,4,9,15,16...

The percent rose slowly…

17,29,33,48,54...

Over half way there…

59,62,73,81,79,83,86...

91,89,92,93,95...

So close…Almost there…

97,99,10-

Zzzzzzzzzzt! Lightning struck down nearby. The power went out. Boss growled and pounded his fist to the now unconscious keyboard.

'BossMan81 has signed out,' appeared on the girl's screen. She scratched her head, fingering her hair's short, bristly tips.

"Hmm…I didn't think I looked _that_ bad!"


	27. Young Adult NOT Young

Disclaimer: Who stole the Hamtaro from the hamster jar? Not I, cause I'm just borrowing him...and the rest!

Young Adult. NOT Young.

Penelope walked over to Cappy casually.

"Hey. What are you doing?" she asked nicely.

He had his back to her and mouthed with a strange scrunched-up face, 'Hey. What are you doing?' as he bobbed his head side-to-side.

"Well...? Aren't you going to answer me?"

'Well...? Aren't you going to answer me?' He flapped his fingers open and shut like a talking face.

"Okay... Why are you ignoring me?"

'Okay...Why are you ignoring me?'

"Aren't you even going to say 'hello'?"

'Aren't you even going to say 'hello'?'

"Or tell me I look nice today?"

'Or tell me I look nice today?'

Penelope gasped, eyes wide and finger pointing. "Are you mocking me?"

Cappy turned around with a smirk. "Are you mocking me?" he sneered in a high-pitched voice.

"Ugh!" she scoffed, rolling her eyes as she shifted all her weight to her left side, hip sticking out and arms crossed. Cappy copied. "Of all the jerks I've met, you've become the worst!" she yelled and slapped him, storming off.

"You hit like a girl!" he called after her.

"Thanks for noticing!" she said back, turning around towards him. When she turned away again, he stuck out his tongue, having nothing else to say.

"NAAAH!"

"Well hey, I'd love to stay and exchange 'meanie-heads' with you, but come over and talk to me when you actually _grow up_!" she called from downhill.

"Yeah? Well, that's not gonna happen anytime soon!" he yelled back, hearing her hysterical laughter and tasting a subtle hint of foot in his saliva. "Uh, GARGH!" He stomped his foot in frustration and marched off. 'I'll get you back!...'

... "But yeah, Pashy. I have no idea what's gotten into him lately..." Penelope was being consoled by the older woman. "I mean, he's acting so...childish."

Just then, Cappy walked over and hugged her from behind. She looked up as he presented a box to her.

"Here."

"Thanks! You're so sweet!" She kissed him on the cheek and began opening the box, Pashmina at her side.

When she wasn't looking Cappy took his sleeve and wiped off his face.

Boiiing!

"EEEEEEK!" the girls screamed as a shower of plastic spiders was launched at them. Cappy ran off, giggling.

Later on, Cappy strutted over to Penelope again.

"Hi."

"Hello..." She backed away from him a little, a cautious look on her face. He opened his hands all the way to show her there was nothing in them. Sadly, she was comforted by this and decided to hug him.

"Hey, I got something to tell you," he gently said, gazing into her ruby eyes. She smiled greatly as he swept her hair away from her ears. She knew he was here to apologize for his behavior and felt happy, until he took in a breath and...let out a large, gruesome belch, causing her to pull away again.

She scowled. "I can't believe you!"

He continued laughing. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry." He pulled his hand from his pocket and extended it to her. "I promise not to do that again and I'll clean up my act, if that is what's making you mad at me."

She weakly smiled, not believing this would happen so easily, but reached for his hand anyway. Once she grabbed it, strong, uncomfortable tingles shot through her nerves.

"Ow! Cappy!"

"Psych! Ha ha!"

And off he strutted in triumph as Penelope shook the tingles out of her hand.


	28. SVS

Disclaimer: (Doesn't own Hamtaro) See? Actions DO speak louder than words! XD

Forward Note: I am not dissin' Max, k? In fact, I lurve him to shreds!

SVS

'…_I love PCS- DTC_

_I love **no one**- CMF_

_I am with you- MOA_

_I heart MOA- HDL Har Har._

_I adore DTC- PCS_

_I luv-really luv BAK- HOH_

_I love SEW- MYE_

_J'aime HOH- BAK_

_i luv ur mom- TD (TROY)_

_I h8 gurlz- CWG_

_No u don't- annon._

_I love CWG- PMS_

_Me + carpentry- PWG_

_I like BTB- BCJ_

_I luv my buddy (CMF)- SRW_

_I luv SVS- SEW_…'

"SVS?" Maxwell panicked to Oxnard. "Sandy is in love with Steven Smith?"

"It could be Spencer Scotts," he said, chewing on a brownie.

"You're not making this any better!"

"Why don't you just ask them?"

"Ask them what?" Maxwell asked.

"What their middle name is," Oxnard replied with a full mouth.

"Good idea! Why didn't _I _think of that? Thanks!" he said, running off. "Oh. And Oxnard...? You have a little schmutts right here." He pointed to his chin and dashed again.

"Hey Max, what's up?"

"What's your middle name?" he blurted.

"Ugh. Devon, why?"

"No reason! Thanks, Steve!" He ran away again.

"Do I know you?"

"No, but can I get your middle name?"

"Why?"

"It's very important."

"Oooo-kay...It's Mason."

"Thanks! I'm Max, by the way. I have to go now so I can have my anxiety attack! Bye!"

"Ugh...Nice meeting you...?"

As he ran, Maxwell's eyes filled with tears. He began to think, 'Well, those are the only guys with those initials that I know of...I wonder who it could be...Unless they're a- Oh God!' He ran off in the direction of the girls' part of camp, where most of the female counselors were at at the moment for a monthly, all-girls seminar.

"Hey Stacie, what are your initials?"

"STS, why?...Hey! Where are you going?"

"Sandra!"

"HI! WHAT DO YOU NEED?"

"Your middle name."

"OH! THAT'S AN EASY ONE! IT'S THE NAME OF _A HOLIDAY_!"

"Which one?"

"GUESS!"

"I don't have the time!"

"_GUESS_!" God, was she annoying...

"Fine...St. Patrick's Day?"

"NO..."

"V-Valentine's...?" he asked, nervously.

"NO! BUT, IT'S IN WINTER TOO!"

"Christmas?"

"NOPE! GUESS AGAIN!"

"I'm outta here!"

"I WAS LOOKING FOR **'_NOEL_'**!YOU WERE SOOOOOO CLOSE!" she called after him.

"Summer. Middle name?"

"Kris."

"Sue. Initials?"

"SLS."

"Samantha...? Never mind."

Maxwell sulked off towards the counselors' cabin when he bumped into Sandy.

"Maxwell!" she greeted, kissing him.

"What are you doing? They'll get mad!"

"Who?"

"SVS."

"_Who_?"

"I dunno. You tell me." He had a slight scowl on. That's when she remembered the rock everyone had signed.

"Oh Maxy! SVS doesn't stand for anyone else here!"

"What about home?"

"Not home either. Or school, or work, or anywhere. SVS like, stands for _you_, silly!"

"Huh?"

"**S**omeone **V**ery **S**mart."

Not quite.


	29. BUSTed

BUSTed

"Heeheehee...Oh, man..." Stan chuckled with a wide grin.

"Heeheeheehee...Oh yeah..." Howdy and Boss agreed, getting situated on two of the miniature recliners in the counselors' lodge where the old little TV set was.

Stan gingerly pulled out the tape and let the plastic movie rental bag flutter carelessly, taking it out of its plastic case.

"Oh yeah..." he nearly squeaked.

"What'd ya git?" Howdy asked.

"Ta Tas For Now." Stan grinned as he placed the tape in the old VCR.

"Ohh hohoho..." Boss laughed eagerly, rubbing his hands together. "Put it in! Hurry! We only have a half hour before the girls get back from their seminar thing!- I mean, I need to observe these peoples' anatomies- I mean, oh, just put the naughty flick on!"

Stan hit the 'play' button and ran to the couch, pouncing on it in sheer excitement.

"Ah sure do feel bad for the other guys, missin' out on this'n all..."

"They said they didn't want any part of this. Those chickens. Those _prudes_."

"Heh heh! They'll be sorry!"

The video continued to play, going along the typical story plot. Wife is left at home to wait for plumber/salesman/tax collector/mailman/electrician/etc. so they can show them where the problem was or talk about the situation legitimately (usually in the kitchen or someone's bedroom) . Then they would get a little too friendly and well, in this case, the woman began to take off her shirt.

"Dang! I gotta take a leak. Guys, pause it for me," Stan requested quickly, running down the short hallway. His friends just sat there, drooling with bug-eyes while sitting on the edge of their seats.

"This is gettin' good..." Boss drawled.

"Hummenah hummenah hummenah..."

Just then, they heard voices and walking on the gravel path, nearing the small cabin. Howdy and Boss sprung up once they realized it was the girls coming back to take a break and dashed to the bathroom.

"Stan! Stan!" They yelled, pounding on the door.

"Are you done?" A flush followed by running water answered Boss' question. Stan opened the door.

"What's up?"

"The girls are a comin'! The girls are a comin'!"

"_What_? I thought I told you to lock the door!"

At that moment, they heard the screen door flap open. Stan grabbed his friends by their collars and pulled them into the small bathroom with him, closing the door mostly shut.

Penelope called out a 'Hello', and received no answer. The girls continued to walk around.

"Like, what's this?" Sandy asked, closing the fridge.

"Zey are making l-!" Bijou gave a choked reply as Sandy handed her a soda.

"It's so romantic..." Pashmina gushed, opening hers. They all gathered around the television, cooing.

"I can't believe the boys would watch something so sweet..." Penelope blushed.

"Huh?" The guys gawked, looking from the tiny crack in the bathroom door.

"It's best they don't understand..."

As Boss said this, the door closed and the girls had headed back out. Only a second later did it open again.

"Whoa, baby! Porno!" Cappy shrieked, signaling it was safe to come out.


	30. Helping You Helps me Somehow

Disclaimer: Hamtaro doesn't belong to me.

Helping You Helps me Somehow

Stan glared down the lake to his right, where another group of campers swam. Hadn't it been Troy and Candace's group, he may have gone over to chat with the counselors instead of having to endure Howdy telling lame jokes to Mecca, who oddly let out quiet giggles every now and then. Yes, he and Candace were still friends, but she never hung around him that much anymore. She was too busy with the stuck-up populars like Jewel Webster used to be when she'd been there. She didn't really belong there with such snooty people, either. Maybe she did. Who knew? A lot can change in a decade, but Stan doubted she'd stopped being down-to-earth just from befriending so many others.

A hic-uping laugh came from down by the other dock. Stan couldn't resist looking, snapping his head in the laughter's direction. Was he jealous? No! Why would he be jealous of Troy?

Stan sighed. Troy tickled Candace. Candace tried to kick him away. This was the same old fooling around they've done for the past week or so.

A nudge followed by a few more broke Stan out of his heated trance. He looked down.

"Hey, Stan…?"

"What's up, Nate? You're looking kinda down."

"Well, I kinda need your help," the boy said. Stan looked at him thoughtfully. "It's about a girl."

"Say no more, my man! Say no more! Now, what seems to be the problem?"

"Well…You know Sarah Philips, right? Well, she-well, I think she's with the wrong kid."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well…I don't know why she likes him, when all this kid does is well, be mean to her. You know? She needs to be treated so much better and well, deserves a lot more."

Stan smiled grimly, staying silent for a moment. This poor boy was going through almost the exact same thing he was now. Of course it wasn't as serious, but still…

As he thought of a suggestion, a loud yelp and splash came from the other dock, where they saw Troy standing, laughing hysterically and Candace angrily treading water, but faintly giggling as well. A fire lit up in Stan's eyes.

"I have an idea," he finally said in determination, pulling Nathan closer.

After lunch, from his hiding spot which was a tree, Stan watched carefully as Nathan approached the girl, wringing his sweaty hands together.

"H-hey! You need to leave her alone!" he yelled to some other boy who had just then shoved her down. He walked away without acknowledging him. Sarah looked up with teary eyes as Nathan helped her up.

"Thanks…" She brushed at her capri's' legs.

"No prob," he replied shakily as she began to walk off. "H-hey, Sarah!" She turned around and waved. "Well, I-I got somethin' else to say." She looked at him. "Well, I-I just wanna say that I think you're with the wrong guy. Well, I mean, if it were me, I'd treat you so much better and I…"

Sarah looked at him sweetly, playing with some strands of her silky, raven black hair, tucking them away from her face. "You would?"

"Yeah! And well, you wanna know what else?"

"What?"

"You make me wanna throw up."

She gasped, not knowing what to say, not knowing if she was offended or not. Nathan continued, fumbling.

"I mean, well, I get all nervous around you and, well, you make me so nervous that I-I feel like I'm gonna…BLAH!" All over the girl's shoes. "Please don't be mad at me!" he plead. She didn't seem mad, though, just a bit shocked and very grossed out.

"I'm not, but could you help me clean these off? You know, to prove yourself?" Sarah smiled warmly and took his shaking hand as they walked off.

Stan smiled after them. Maybe that's all he needed to do, tell Candace his feelings of concern and adoration. Of course, he wouldn't make it so obvious... or barf on her shoes.


	31. Pudding

Disclaimer: (Has run out of material so will be blunt and say she doesn't own any places, characters, etc. from the Anime Hamtaro.) I don't- ahh Crap! I just said that! Darn! XD

Author's Note: Okay, yeah. I looked back at my 'initials' one, and noticed I totally screwed up- not only on being understandable (sorry, all, lupyne!)- but on Penelope's name. Well, yes, those were my intended initials, PMS, but I don't know if any of you took them the wrong way. Her middle name is Mae and I didn't even realize what it looked like until my friend Kai pointed that out to me. (sighs) Dear Lord... Please excuse me! xD Anyway, this one I was debating on for its randomness and that I did it about a month ago. Yeah, I suck at updating...XD

Pudding

"Okay, everyone," Boss said after each Ham had received a cup. "Three, Two-"

"What are you imbeciles up to now?" Mecca yawned. She was actually awake today.

"Puddin'-eatin' contest," Howdy answered. Hamtaro shoved a cup in her hand. She looked down at the contents and around the room confusedly.

"It is frozen," she bluntly said after a moment.

"Yeah! That's the point!" Cappy said.

"And how so?"

"To see who eats all of theirs first!" Hamtaro happily cried.

"Let's go, then!" Penelope said, enthusiastically.

"Okay," started Boss again. "Three, Two, One... Eat!"

Everyone pounded their spoons into the pudding cups like spears as Mecca crept out of the room, unseen. A moment later, she returned, empty cup in hand. The others gawked.

"EH?" they asked, spoons frozen to their tongues.

"I used one of those box things in the kitchen. The ones with all the buttons and a door and it spins on the inside as it works with a light that is used to heat up the food...?"

"A microwave?" Maxwell guessed.

She smirked, cackling. "Well, since you are already acquainted with these said _microwaves_, why didn't you think to use one?"

As she disappeared, her cackles echoed. The gang shuddered.

"Hey! That's cheating!" Oxnard yelled.

Stan sniffled heavily, shaking. "I-I c-can't feel m-my f-f-face..."


	32. Sorrow

Sorrow

"Okay, all!" Candace said, walking back to the circle of counselors with a grin, bowl, pens and little slips of paper. "We can play now! Penelope, you can pick the first thing."

"Alright. I have it. Everyone, write down what power you'd have as a superhero."

Everyone scribbled down something and put it in the bowl, which Candace shook up and picked from.

"Flying... flying... _the ability of_ flying... C'mon, people! Be more original!" she laughed, drawing another skip. "Invisibility... super speed... talking to animals... invisibility... super strength... rubber-like flexibility... humor- hahaha. Thanks for being honest, Howdy!"

"That one wasn't meh..."

"... Oh. Moving on! ... Um... Erm..."

"What? Tell us!" Sandy said.

"It _has_ to be good if she's blushing!" Hamtaro added.

"Read it!" Panda encouraged.

"... The ability to... seduce every woman... on the face of the Earth..." She sweat dropped.

"Stanley! Eww!"

"That wasn't mine! Mine was the power of telepathy, I swear!"

"Right..." He received many cross looks, scanning the room and saw Troy's crocodile smirk. He was the one who wrote it. Stan could tell.

"I'd never tolerate something like that. Stan, if you weren't _my girlfriend's_ friend, I'd beat you to a pulp." Stan cringed. _His_ girlfriend. Ugh.

"I give you permission..." Candace teased. "Okay, I'LL pick the next one... What would make you the happiest?" Again, everyone scribbled and dropped their answers in the bowl for her to read off. "Let's see... World peace... Suck up! Money... Now, that's what I'm talking about! ... Penelope's forgiveness... Aww..." She continued to reading while the younger girl looked over at Cappy, who looked back, so pleadingly. In reply to his request, she smiled at him for the first time in a while, mouthing happily, 'You have it' as Candace's eyes welled up with tears.

"What's wrong?" Pashmina promptly asked.

Candace's bottom lip quivered as she threw the bowl down and ran, jumped over a few in the circle to get to the door so she could run outside, and glared at Stan in disbelief as she did so. Troy ran after her like he actually cared as the slip of paper she had just silently read fluttered to the ground. On it was written,

'If Candace broke up with Troy.'

It was a vain attempt, for she continued to stay with him but this only drove Stan to work harder to save his friend from the doom of being with that horrible creature everyone had to call a Ham-Human, that _waste of life_…


	33. The Sixth Filler Shot

BrittTheBrit Meets Someone New

Ping!

BossMan81 has returned from away.

BrittTheBrit: hi! u r back!

BrittTheBrit: so, n e thing new?

BossMan81: no. u?

BrittTheBrit: we r getting close 2 the u.s. and r gonna dock in FL. for a week.

BossMan81: wat?

He sweat dropped and frantically typed.

BossMan81: i mean KEWL!

BrittTheBrit: lol. 4getting me already?

'I don't even know who you are...! Hahaha...'

BossMan81: no. jus tired. u kno?

BrittTheBrit: ya. wanna go?

BossMan81: n leave such a pretty girl alone in this chatroom all by herself? no chance!

BrittTheBrit: u r weird 2day. i think I'M gonna leave! lol

BossMan81: please dont!

BrittTheBrit: cap'n needs me now n e way. go 2 bed n come talk 2 me wen u r better or should i say NORMAL!!! j/k. g2g, tho.

BossMan81: k. c u l8r!

BrittTheBrit: bye.

BrittTheBrit has signed out. Chat or log off?

Log off.

"Ahh... That was fun!" Stan said as he turned around in his swivel chair, laughing.

Boss walked back into the cabin. "What was?"

"Boss, let's just say you got a lotta 'splainin' to do!"


	34. This Car Led Him to Her

Disclaimer: I don't own Hamtaro. I used to own a hamster named Hamtaro, (when I was reeeeeeeallyyyy obsessed) but he died a few years ago of old age. (sob)

Author's Note: Well, that was one heck of a review, lupyne! XD Thanks! (I though only Cherrie-Sakura and I wrote long reviews! hahaha... Well, you did say you missed a few! XD) Um...What exactly are you asking in your review, though...? (I'm so sorry, but I'm slow and get confused easily...--) I also added a new link to my profile so go there please! Anyway, thanks to everyone for making this my most popular fic! Exactly one thousand and one hits! Wow-ooh! So, keep reading, you don't have to review, and thanks a whole ton of a frickin' lot! J/k XD

This Car Led Him to Her

It was a nice Saturday,

And Panda drove

His group of campers

To the old 'Treasure Trove'.

On the way there,

The car began to sputter

He didn't understand

And began to stutter.

"How could this be?

What is wrong here?"

"I think it's outta gas!"

"No... This is queer."

So they hopped out the back,

And pushed the car front,

To the nearest mechanic,

To make this blunt.

Forty minutes, no rest,

And they had arrived,

Tired and sore,

And barely alive.

"May I have a quarter?" a child asked.

"Me, too! Me, too!" Another spoke.

So Panda fished through his pockets,

Until he was broke.

Sitting there for an hour,

Having nothing to do,

They stared at the door,

In which a woman walked through.

"Good morrow to ye,"

Was all she could say

For the man at the desk

Hopped right in her way.

"Are you here for your pick-up?"

"Why, yes I am."

"Here they are, thank you,

And have a nice day, ma'am!"

Just like that,

She was out of there,

With her box and her weld,

Which she handled with care.

But, before she left,

She turned to the other man,

Sitting with all the kids,

And waved her hand.

At the children, or he,

Panda couldn't tell,

But then she spoke

In an accent, so well:

"How are ye, old friend?"

She was rather shy.

She flipped her red hair,

Smiling up at the sky.

He looked at her freckles,

And replied simply:

"I'm doing well, Anna."

His cheeks dimply.

"Well, I must be going."

"Do a good job and try!"

Then she turned back to him, saying:

"It's been a while and goodbye."


	35. The Seventh Filler Shot

The Guys' Seminar

They all sat there with blank expressions in the circle, having nothing to say. Looking around awkwardly at one another, cautiously plucking potato chips out of the bowl, staring off into space, or drawing on the backs of hand-outs, each man awaited for what was to come next.

Hamtaro and Oxnard finally emerged from the kitchen and joined the circle.

"Okay," said Hamtaro, happily. "You all know why we're here, right?"

"No."

"Not really."

"Haven't a clue!"

He and Oxnard sweat dropped.

"Well, you know how the girls have _their_ monthly seminar thing?"

"Yeah...?"

"You mean the one when they're out of our hair for almost the whole day?"

"Mmhm," Oxnard answered.

"Well, we decided that we're gonna start having them, too!"

"What do we do in these things?"

It was silent for a minute.

"Um... Oxy, what _do_ we do?"

"Let's see... What do the girls do?"

"Read magazines."

"Watch chick flicks."

"Eat fat-free ice cream and complain about stupid junk," Cappy added, annoyed.

"Hmm... We can't do any of that stuff. Do you guys know of anything else?"

"Well, they talk about their feelings...!" someone replied, unsure.

"Talk about their feelings, eh? We can do that... Okay! Who's first?"

No one spoke.

"Hey, how 'bout we order a pizza and call it a day?" Stan suggested.

"I'm game," the rest hurriedly agreed, leaving the cabin.

"Good meeting, guys. I say we do it again next month!"


	36. Je Veux que Vous M'embrassiez

Je Veux que Vous M'embrassiez (I Want You to Embrace Me)

Thump thump. Thump thump.

Bijou's heart pounded. Her hands began to sweat. She hated this feeling. She had taken this trail with Hamtaro a thousand times over, and yet she still got nervous every time he was near.

Her girlish crush had progressed into full-on madness of love over the years that had passed and now she was sure they were meant to be.

She led him down the familiar gravel path, to the spot where the children still play Hide and Seek Tag, down the many rows of trees until they began to cut through the woods. They quickly spotted the tree in which they had hidden in oh so long ago and sat in the fading twilight.

"Erm... 'Amtaro...?" She was wringing her hands. He was looking at the changing sky.

"Yeah?"

"I-I 'ave zomezing to zay..."

"Okay."

"Vell, actually, I need to azk eet."

"Sure."

"But, zis eez bezidez the point." She felt so foolish.

"Alright."

"Vou're probablly becoming very impatient vith moi... 'Amtaro, could vous look over 'ere a zecond, sil vous plait?"

"Shoot," he siad, smiling. She could barely see him, but she knew he was looking at her.

"Vell, I..." she began.

"Uh-huh?" he said patiently.

"I-I-er... I vant vous to kizz moi." She blushed terribly.

"Okay, sure."

"Vraiment?"

"Yeah, whatever that means." He smiled at her sweetly.

"Eet means 'really'." Bijou answered quickly before she closed her eyes and puckered up her lips in happy, nervous expectation. She had only _dreamed_ of actaully being able to share a kiss with her lovable, naive, and oblivious friend, who she'd wanted to be so much more with for a long time now. She regretted not wearing her favorite lip gloss.

She could feel his warm breath. He was nearer. Bijou wanted to yell at him for taking so long, for making her wait even more. Then it happened.

His lips touched her soft, velvet-like skin.

To her great dismay, he had kissed her cheek.


	37. Witch Bewitched

Disclaimer: I don't own Hamtaro or the song Made to Love You by Toby Mac. The End.

Witch Bewitched

"Sarah's a witch! Sarah's a witch!" chanted a large cluster of children. All of them stood around the girl, laughing. A few pointed at her or waved their friends over at the same time. Sarah's eyes filled with frustrated tears of humiliation as she tried covering her face with her ebony-hued hair.

"It's just a zit!" she defended hotly.

"That's one really big 'pimple'!" shouted someone in the crowd.

"I bet she's lying!" another yelled, playing along.

"It's a wart!" a third kid bellowed.

"It is not!" Sarah screamed.

"Oh yeah? Prove it!" Nathan teasingly challenged, laughing. She looked at him in disgust and surprise.

"I'm not gonna pop it! That's gross!"

"So are _you_... witch!" Someone who had just joined the group snickered.

"Witch, witch, witch! Sarah's a witch!" They all chanted again.

"She's got a black cat!" a boy taunted.

"And a broom stick!" a girl teased.

"I bet she's got a magic wand!" another added.

"And a bunch of witching tricks!" someone chuckled menacingly, pointing.

"Witch witch witch witch witch!" And they were gone, laughs echoing.

Mecca witnessed this whole scene from her spot on a concealed tree branch. As she hopped down, Sarah fell to the ground, crying into her hands loudly. Mecca just looked at her own feet.

"If anyone's the witch, it's me..." she mumbled, still feeling rather guilty for rejecting Howdy's offer to go as his date to the summer-end dance for the second time. The first time being the last summer they were here, as young teens, probably not even that, a little over ten years before.

Sighing, the long framed woman began to stalk off, ramming into someone in the process as she watched her feet move.

"My apologies..." she almost whispered, hanging her head farther down.

" 't's kay," she heard the familiar man reply.

Red splashed onto her pale face along with a burning in her ears. She didn't bother looking up now, they were the one she'd been trying to avoid and had failed at doing so.

"I..." Mecca's eyes shifted away again. "Howdy, I..."

Howdy noticed her gray eyes looked deeper now. There was still that vengeful air about the girl, but instead of being angry and fiery as she had once been years before, she seemed hopeless and depressed. It was like she had already died, her eyes showed it painfully.

'I bet she used up all her seven lives,' he chuckled at his own thought.

It was then he saw her turn around and begin to walk, zombified. Steps slow but stiff, she crawled her way across the lot sleepily. Howdy stopped her.

"Yer goin' to bed _now_?" She picked her head up and turned it towards him.

"Yes..."

"Why?"

"Why not? It's not as though I'm needed..."

"C'mon! Let's do somethin' fun."

"As in...?"

"Y'all'll see!"

He took her hand and did the inevitable. He took her to the dance. It only figured he'd take advantage of that opportunity. He had trapped her, blindsided. She hated when that happened. It said she was stupid and did not show how smart and cunning she actually was.

Once in the main cabin, Mecca drooped her ears tightly to her head. The music was too loud for her and she kept her ears pinned in that glued-on like state for a while. They sat on the seats lined up on the far wall for a few songs until Howdy grew bored.

"Wanna dance?"

"Not in particularly," was her droned reply.

"Please...? Would ya? For meh?" She looked amused enough.

"Are you _begging_?"

"Do ah have to drop onto my knees?"

She grinned. "If you must..."

He complied. She stifled her cackles. "Will ya? Please, Mecca! It's for yer own good!"

"How so?"

"It'll make ya feel better from whatever's a gettin' ya down."

"Nothing is bothering me. I am always like this."

"Ya didn't use to be..." he pouted. She scoffed.

"You are pathetic. That expression sickens me."

"Ah'll stop lookin' like this if ya dance with meh," he said.

She sighed. "Fine." This made Howdy smile widely as he led her to the floor.

They started slow. Howdy placed his hands on her waist and she tried shaking them off, giving up and loosely wrapped her arms around his shoulders, awkwardly. A new song came on and Howdy yowled.

"Alright! Toby Mac!"

"_Who_?" The music drowned out her drowsy voice. Howdy began to sway her harder, hapilly. She was still stiff and numb.

_The dream is fading, now I'm staring at the door_

_  
I know its over cause my feet have hit the cold floor_

_  
Check my reflection, I ain't feelin what I see_

_  
It's no mystery_

_  
Whatever happened to a passion I could live for_

_  
What became of the flame that made me feel more_

_  
And when did I forget that... _

_I was made to love you_

_  
I was made to find you_

_  
I was made just for you_

_  
Made to adore you_

_  
I was made to love_

_  
And be loved by you_

_  
You were here before me_

_  
You were waiting on me_

_  
And you said you'd keep me_

_  
Never would you leave me I was made to love_

_  
and be loved by you _

_The dream's alive with my eyes opened wide_

_  
Back in the ring you've got me swinging for the grand prize_

_  
I feel the haters spittin vapors on my dreams_

_  
But I still believe_

_  
I'm reachin out, reachin up, reachin over_

_  
I feel a breeze cover me called Jehovah_

_  
And daddy I'm on my way_

_  
Cause I was made to love... _

_I was made to love you_

_  
I was made to find you_

_  
I was made just for you_

_  
Made to adore you_

_  
I was made to love_

_  
And be loved by you_

_  
You were here before me_

_  
You were waiting on me_

_  
And you said you'd keep me _

_Never would you leave me I was made to love_

_  
and be loved by you _

_I was made to love you_

_  
I was made just for you_

_  
Made to adore you_

_  
I was made to love_

_  
And be loved by you_

_  
You were here before me_

_  
You were waiting on me_

_  
And you said you'd keep me_

_  
Never would you leave me I was made to love_

_  
and be loved by you _

_(nah, nah, nah, nah - nah, nah, nah, nah, nah)_

"Jewelie, my God, that boy of yours is just like you! Why, just today we saw him picking on some poor girl in the yard," Mecca heard one of the older main counselors say to someone. She opened her eyes, seeing the Webster girl herself.

'So... I guess someone was actually insane enough to marry her...' she thought with a cringe at hearing the older woman's shrill laughter. 'Why is she laughing, anyway?'

"Is _that_ the girl?" Jewel asked, pointing to Sarah.

"Yes."

Mecca looked in that direction as Howdy continued to move her around the floor, singing horribly. She focused her advanced hearing in on the two children.

"Hey, Sarah...?"

"What?"

"Well, you wanna, well dance?" She just looked at him. "Well, if you want, I mean."

"I guess... If you take back all those nasty things you said."

"Yeah! Sure! Anything! Just please don't be so well, mad at me anymore!"

Sarah laughed, taking his hand and walking to the dance floor. Mecca caught herself faintly smiling as she began to watch them dance. Looking at Nathan harder now, she could see the subtle resemblance. He and his mother both had the same pinchy nose.

_  
(nah, nah, nah, nah - nah, nah, nah, nah, nah) _

_Anything I would give up for you (nah, nah, nah, nah, nah)_

_  
Everything, I'd give it all away (nah, nah, nah, nah, nah) _

_Anything I would give up for you (nah, nah, nah, nah, nah)_

_  
Everything, I'd give it all away (nah, nah, nah, nah, nah) _

_Anything I would give up for you (nah, nah, nah, nah, nah)_

_  
Everything, I'd give it, I'd give it all away, Oh yeah _

_Cause I was made to love you (I was made to love you)_

_  
Yeah I was made to love you (I was made to find you)_

_  
Cause I was made to love you (I was made to adore you, made just for you) (nah, nah, nah, nah, nah)_

_  
I was made to love you (I was made to adore you, made just for you)_

_  
Cause I was made to love you (I was made to adore you, made just for you) (nah, nah, nah, nah, nah)_

_  
I was made to love you (I was made to adore you)_

Mecca wondered why she couldn't be happy like those kids. She wondered if maybe it was because they truly liked each other and thought about what it would be like to be felt for in that way by someone else. She felt no longing for this feeling and was stunned by this. Why? She'd never been truly happy anyway, but that was no answer.

_  
Yeah I'm loved by you_

_  
Yeah I'm loved by you (nah, nah, nah, nah, nah)_

_  
Yeah I' m loved by you (nah, nah, nah, nah, nah)_

_  
(nah, nah, nah, nah, nah)_

_  
(nah, nah, nah, nah, nah) _

"That sure is a great song!" Howdy hooted, laughing. He looked into her eyes and smiled more.

That was why. She already had someone like that. She was just being ungrateful. She really was a witch.


	38. Princess Uncharming

Prince(ss) (Un)charming

"Hahahahahahahaha!"

Pashmina sunk lower into the water as everyone at the lake laughed. Concealing her beet-colored head beneath the waves and holding in her breath, she opened her eyes.

One, Two, Three...

Maybe if she stayed down there long enough, they would all have moved on to something else.

Five, Six, Seven...

Maybe she was just overreacting.

Eight...

Maybe no one noticed she broke wind in the water and were laughing at something else.

Nine...

Perhaps a booger hanging from her nose?

Possibly spinach from lunch was seen in between her teeth?

Was it her bikini top had slipped too low?

Could it be it wasn't even _she_ everyone was laughing at?

Ten...

Pashmina's lungs began to ache, but she continued on, floating, thinking, hating. Hating every second of a crowd's insane laughter at her, hating that she kept giving them reasons to poke fun at her, doing embarrassing and grotesque things on a daily basis, _loathing_ that Dexter was now looking like the more glamorous person in the couple.

She was a bit jealous. She was surprised at this. She loved Dexter, but it was easier to do so when _he_ was the target of everyone's taunts and _she_ was the one there to save him. Lately, she'd been feeling very insecure.

Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen...

Her head rose a bit closer to the surface. She could still hear their cackles. She wanted to go back down, but found herself feeling too weak and lightheaded to even move. Her lungs now screamed for air. She continued thinking of all the times this summer she had tripped, slipped, belched aloud, sworn. felt like a fool, was caught off guard, had... Everything faded to black, silencing her painful thoughts.

Twenty Seven, Twenty Eight, Twenty Nine, Thirty...

Pashmina found herself lying on a towel on the dock with Dexter hovering over her. There was a group of silenced people behind them.

"You could've died!" Dexter shrieked, tears streaming down his already wet face. His glasses were off, she noticed.

"I already did. Of embarrassment, I mean," she numbly replied, coming back to reality and being able to feel things again.

He looked down at her sympathetically and held her hand tight. They were even.


	39. Yearning and Reminiscence

Author's Note: This will probably be the longest one-shot I'll ever do for this fic, **ever,** so sorry for the length! Um... definitely NOT a short, so let's just call it a pair of longjohns! XD Um... Yeah. Enjoy anyway! I updated my quotes and profile (subtly again) so go and check it out if you get the time! Thanks again for reading!

Yearning and Reminiscence

Boss logged on once again and saw that she was available.

BossMan81: hi.

BrittTheBrit: yo.

BossMan81: sorry about last time.

BrittTheBrit: wat last time::singger::

BossMan81: Not the 1 w/ STAN!

BrittTheBrit: lolz.

BrittTheBrit: y'd u sign off dat other time, n e way?

BossMan81: storm.

BossMan81: power went out.

BrittTheBrit: O. atleast i no u r not shallow.

BossMan81: shallow?

BrittTheBrit: u saw my pic, rye?

BossMan81: no.

BrittTheBrit: u didnt?

BossMan81: no. i jus sed.

BrittTheBrit: lolz. u want me 2 send it 2 u again?

BossMan81: sure. please?

BrittTheBrit: k. here.

He saw the crunched up text in the link and one word caught his eye.

BossMan81: _Myered_?

BrittTheBrit: ya. ::wink:: know her?

BossMan81: i mite...

BrittTheBrit: well, g2g. check out the link 2 prove 2 urself im not a man! lol.

BossMan81: yeah. lol...

BrittTheBrit has signed out. Leave message?

Boss clicked 'no' and went to the link. It downloaded faster this time.

Hoping, praying that she was a brunette- _the_ brunette, Boss watched the picture unfold on the screen diligently, so painstakingly slowly, until it began from the bottom.

Her feet were too big to be hers, her legs too straight. She had a washboard stomach and medium-sized chest. Her neck was long and slender and was ornamented by a little bronze chain. Then he saw the chin. Too wide, Her lips were too pouty and the bottom one sagged slightly. Her cheeks were too sunken in and her nose too narrow. She was pretty, but not to Boss, for he saw the rest, crushing all his remaining hopes.

She was a red-head with curly hair and her eyes were too cold to be the one he had sought.

Boss instantly closed the box out and turned away from the computer, thinking, 'This whole time... I've been thinking it was her all this time, but no. I thought I was so close to seeing her again... Don't hold your breath, Boss-man...'

He surprisingly smiled at that last thought. He remembered that that was the pact he and... _she_ made the night before he left for college. He wanted to go back to that time where he could see her every day and be able to hold and kiss her. He wanted to stay in that time forever. He told himself to keep it alive by remembering, but during the past two years, had tried so hard to forget. It was strange how mature a relationship it was with her. They were only eighteen, a year younger than Cappy and Penelope were presently.

'You can't hide from your demons, no matter what. I tried hiding, avoiding all these memories, the pain, but now... They're flooding back in... It's almost too much to swallow...' He shut his eyes tight and tried to go back to where their love first began, after Camp Greenwich...

It was the beginning of the second semester of his senior year. Boss walked through the cafeteria with his lunch when he saw her, all alone on one side of the table, hunched over on the edge. He decided to walk over.

"Hey. Are you new?" She nodded slowly, looking up. Her sad eyes instantly brightened as a smile smacked itself on her face.

"Boss Jones!"

"Yeah, um... Have we met?" He played with his brightly colored hardhat.

"Camp Greenwich...? God, I haven't seen you in like, _four_ years!"

Those eyes... those _cobalt_ eyes. And those _bushy_ pigtails...

"Josie Myerede! Nice to see ya!"

She leapt up from her spot, upsetting her tray. "Oops!"

Boss set his down and helped her pick things up. As she reached for some peas, he grabbed at her carton of milk. She and he both reached for her sandwich and...

As their hands touched from under the bench, they looked up and blushed.

"Erm..." She looked into his gentle eyes.

"Ugh..." He stared back.

"Sorry!" both apologized and stood up. They knew somehow it was love at first sight as they blushed, holding the backs of their heads, smiling and chuckling nervously.

"Wait here. I'm gonna buy you another lunch," he told her, walking off.

"You really don't have to," she tried to argue, but he was already gone.

"There ya go!" he warmly said, smiling and setting down the new tray in front of her.

"Oh thank you so much, Boss! I'll pay you back tomorrow."

"You don't have to."

"But-"

"In fact, I don't want you to. Period. No arguing. End of story. Finito." She smiled, laughing and silently chewed on the lettuce in her turkey sandwich.

That was how he remembered it starting, but that was not how their relationship bloomed. They spent more and more time together. Going to his house to study, to the movies with friends, out to dinner; it didn't matter where they were, just as long as they were happy and near each other. They would try to call every other night and talk until nearly dawn.

One of their calls ended up in a request for Josie to go to the Winter Formal with him and she did, showing up in a pretty, white strappy dress. She always wore white, but tonight, her eyes shone more brightly, complimented by the hue as he walked her into the gym.

"Hey," Panda said, approaching them. "I hear Stan or Howdy's gonna spike the punch, so watch out."

"Ah... ain't _that_ nice..." Boss grumbled, chuckling.

"Woo hoo!" Josie yelled in the same voice that she cheered him on in during basketball games.

She'd scream his name over and over again with his mother, making him feel like a rock star. He remembered that no matter what happened, she'd still cheer herself hoarse for him and the team. That's what made him do his best to win. Her cheers fueled him, driving him to lead his team to victory time and time again. They ended up going to the county championships, winning it. He remembered this game especially.

As he walked away from his still shouting and rejoicing team, to the first row of bleachers, to the spot set at exactly center-court, where he knew he would find her, Boss saw the greatest look of pride in her expression. Josie jumped from the low spot into his arms and squealed.

"You did it! I'm so proud of you! What an awesome game! You were fantastic! A star!" she yelled, ecstatic. Her smile seemed to silence everything in the room but his heart.

They looked into each other's eyes again. The orange and yellow streamers and balloons fell from the ceiling and the crowd continued cheering, but he couldn't hear anything. It was like there was only him and her alone in the chaotic gym at peace, in a world all their own... until the rest of the team came up from behind them and spilled the rest of the contents of the ice filled cooler of water on Boss. He turned around, glaring, until he heard Josie's laughter. It didn't matter that she was soaked, she was just so happy. He couldn't have been so. But, that all changed the night before he departed. That was the worst part he remembered.

It was terrible how it had to be the end of the most amazing weekend of his life, and most likely her life as well.

It started out as a last date, but had evolved into Josie staying the night at his house, which turned into the whole weekend.

"It's so nice having you kids around here. I swear, once all of your friends are in college, Boss, your father and I are moving into a smaller house!" his mother said at dinner, laughing. Her laughter echoed all through the small mansion. "But, I'm sure once we do, you'll all want to come for holidays and we won't be able to fit you in there!"

Josie snorted, dropping her spoonful of carrots.

"Mrs. J., you're the best!"

"Don't encourage her..." Boss said jokingly, then hugged his mother.

"Well it's late, kids. Head off to bed," Mr. Jones said wearily. It was about ten.

"Give me your plate, Josie," Mrs. Jones said kindly.

"Oh. No. Let me help you with the dishes!" Josie offered, picking up a glass. Boss' mom turned towards the men, mouthing with a wide beam, 'She's a keeper!' Boss weakly smiled and playfully rolled his eyes.

He remembered the squeaking of his private bathroom's door as Josie bashfully creapt out in one of his old casual dress shirts after he'd gotten ready to sleep. The garment fell down to her knees and the sight of the striped blue thing on her made Boss chuckle.

"God, you're tiny!" he remarked.

"Yeah, well, maybe you're just... _giant_!" she lamely teased back, jumping into his bed. It sloshed, causing her to squeal in surprise. "A water bed? Yeeeeee!" Laughing, she continued to roll around in his blankets and sheets. "It's so warm and soft!" she finished, ceasing her playing around to sit up and pat the other side of the mattress.

Boss joined her on the bed and lay down, submerging himself in a blanket.

"Are you cold?" he asked, shutting off the lamp.

"A little..." she replied with a shy smile, scooting closer and snuggling up against him. "Mmmmmmm..."

He smiled at her sighing. How he loved it so. She turned to him for a peck good night, but received a deeper kiss instead and tumbled on top of him, hovering over his chest with her lips still pressed to his, smiling as she pushed down on his chest, causing the bed to ripple. They laughed.

"What are you doing?"

"Beating you up..." she replied with a joking smirk, pushing on him again. "Whatcha gonna do about it, tough guy?"

"Beat you up back." He rolled her over and the two continued to tickle wrestle, causing more and louder splashes with their playful violence.

"Aren't you even gonna _try_ letting me win?" she grunted, in his soft chokehold. Boss grinned and she smiled as he decided he had won enough and rolled onto his back again so Josie had the upper-hand for once. "Now I've got you right where I want you. It's time for your demise. I shall now smother you... with kisses!" She tried laughing sinisterly. That's when she noticed Boss looked quite afraid, and she could tell it wasn't because of her role playing. She looked over and saw, standing in his doorway, Boss' parents and looked at them innocently. They smiled, but with unreadable emotion.

"Children..."

"Mr. and Mrs. Jones!" Josie said in angelic enthusiasm as Boss' mom tossed a small package onto the bed.

"Be safe," she told them in a sing-song voice, winking and left with her husband, who gave his son a thumbs-up, shutting the door. After a few seconds of silence and staring at each other awkwardly, they began to laugh hysterically. Josie plopped onto Boss, falling off of him and stopped her laughs.

"Did I hurt you?" He was still laughing, but turned to her.

"No. Gosh, you're light as a feather! You think _you_ could actually hurt_ me_?" She playfully glared at him, crossing her arms. "I'm kidding. I'm sure if I ever did anything to set you off, you'd straighten me out in a second!"

"Like now?" she asked, challengingly, squeezing him in an embrace.

"C'mon now. Let's try getting some shut-eye," he said gently, cuddling back. Josie reached the arm draped around his muscular body forward and flicked the condom off of his bed, continuing to fool around.

"I can't believe your parents actually thought we'd use that!" She laughed. Boss smiled, looking back at her. With the way they gazed at one another, they knew they didn't need it, anyway. "I love you," she said shamelessly after a minute.

"What did we say?"

She put a frown on to match his. "Don't hold your breath..."

He pushed her bangs up and kissed her on the forehead, hugging her closer.

The next morning, both woke up with the sun, or at least the very shrill beeping of Boss' alarm clock at five-thirty that following day. They groggily peeled their eyes open and looked at one another, smiling with loving expressions. The sad fact that they only had about six more hours with each other left never crossed their minds as they continued starring on, undoing their cocoon of blankets and sheets they'd gotten tangled up in during last night's battle.

Boss pressed his nose to hers, once half the way out. He noticed her hair was loose now and smiled at her.

"Good morning..." she said, smiling back sweetly.

His lips curled more upward. "Mornin', Beauty."

She giggled when he kissed her nose. "Stop..." she laughed out, sighing tiredly.

He took a big clump of her wavy deep brown hair and held it. "You should wear it down more often. You look pretty."

She blushed at this. "I guess my ribbons fell out sometime when I was asleep. They usually do." She sighed, moving her hands through her tangled, oily hair. "I need to shower. I'm a mess."

"Why don't you now?" he offered.

"No. I'll do it at home. I don't want to run up your parents' water bill and you need to shower before you leave." Boss fidgeted his way out of the tangle and stood.

"Well, so do you, so come on." He grinned, picking her up bridal style and carried her off to the main bathroom since his didn't have a tub.

"Hey!"

"What? My folks kinda expect this," he joked, kissing her and shutting the bathroom door.

It was quiet in there for a while. The only noise was the running water. They turned to each other on accident. One tried to retrieve the soap, the other was ready to rinse out their hair. Both froze.

Boss, without any shame, looked all over her as she tried keeping her eyes on his dark brown ones, glancing occasionally downward, sheepishly. He laughed and pulled her near.

The feel of each other's wet, bare skin made them nervous. Stopping the embrace, Boss hurriedly went for his soap and traded spots with Josie so she could wash out her apple-scented shampoo.

The soap slipped out of his hand, but Josie caught it. She handed it to him with a shy smile. He looked down at her pleasantly.

Boss realized just how small she was compared to him and thought it was funny. The tips of her Ham-Human ears only brushed against his collar bone.

Yes, he was taller than most men, and she was a few inches below average for a woman, but it still humored him how differently sized they were.

He smiled, turning off the water, and stepped out of the shower first to fetch their towels.

With his wrapped around his waist, he held hers open as she walked into it, getting wrapped up. They continued with their daily primping and, once dry enough, began to dress with their backs to each other, handing garments over occasionally until they were half decent.

Boss sat on the bathtub's ledge as he put on his socks, Josie on the closed toilet for her pants. It had gotten quiet again, so Josie decided to talk.

"So, what kind of job are you going to college for?"

"Dunno," he mumbled simply.

"Then what's your major?"

"Don't have one." Boss remembered the horrified look on her face as he uttered these words.

"What do you mean? You _have_ to have a major!" Her eyes began to shine in tears.

"I'm just testing the waters this semester, taking a bunch of different classes. If I find something I want to major in, I'll change my schedule at the half-year point." She didn't even hear half of his explanation because of her sobs of, 'But your future depends on it!' and 'What are you gonna do?' "Listen," he soothed, touching her cheek. "You will be the third to know when it happens." She looked a bit confused, but not angry. Boss still felt the need to elaborate. "First, my parents, then the Hams, and then you, okay?" Her tears began to dry and she weakly smiled, nodding.

He calmed her further with a soft kiss and they walked out of the steamy bathroom to his bedroom. Her eyes still faintly glistened with worried and helpless tears.

The two young adults sat at the table for a while and ate, chatting with Boss' parents.

"I have to talk to our boy," Boss heard his father whisper to his mother after about twenty minutes of being finished with their meals.

"Josie! Let me help you pack, dear!"

"Oh. I'm all done with that."

"Well, let's just double-check!"

"Okay."

Once his father had him all alone, he began the talk, which went something like this, to Boss' recollection.

"We really like that girl." ... "So do I" ... "I mean, because of you, she has a family now. With her parents dead and all and she's just living with her uncles... She really loves you. " ... "I know, but I can't stay with her." ... "Why not?" ... "College. We both thought it would only be right." ... "Oh... Well, then..." That was all Boss had memorized of the conversation by heart. The rest was only a mass of his father's subtly disappointed chatter and his own reasons for why things were going to be that way.

The girls came back with Josie's things.

"Hi!"

"Hey."

"Well, we better start heading out, gang!" Mr. Jones announced, still inwardly disappointed.

They rode in the back, facing their own separate windows, secluded from the other with frowns. Boss' parents looked back at them and mimicked sadly, knowing what was going on.

They all walked him to the subway that had just pulled up when he was bombarded with hugs and kisses from the rest. His parents stepped back to leave their son and Josie alone for a minute.

She kissed him long and hard until the signal that the doors were about to shut went off. They pulled apart but still held hands until the doors had slid so closed Boss was afraid that her wrists would get snapped to pieces.

"I guess you better go..." he told her gently. She nodded, tearing up.

"I guess this is goodbye."

"Bye... I love you." Boss said, despite The Pact. Her eyes seemed to shatter with devastation as he said that. She sobbed all the way over to his parents. Boss' heart ached as they waved to him. He waved back, but mainly to Josie, who couldn't see him because her face was buried in his father's arm.

'I'm sorry, but I have to let you go. I'm gonna miss you terribly, Jos."

Boss opened his eyes, noticing his face was damp and that he was shaking along with his sniffles. Had he been crying? His heart was sore enough.

'I had to let her go. I have to keep it this way. Maybe someday I'll see her again, but I can't take any chances. I'm tired of waiting and wanting. I'm tired of being alone. It's time I stop holding my breath, cuz it's killing me.' he thought, while wiping his eyes.

Ping!

BrittTheBrit has signed on. Chat?

Boss selected 'yes' right away.

BosMan81: will u meet me in d.c. this weekend? ...


	40. A Better Tomorrow

Disclaimer: I don't own Hamtaro or anything like that. Don't be _too_ disappointed. XD

Author's Note: I dunno if you guys are just tired or not, but geez! Can I get ANY feedback?! XD I mean, yeah, I told you you didn't have to review, but it would be mighty nice of ya'll! XD Anyway, I hope I haven't over-stayed my welcome and you guys are still into my crap. Keep reading, as always, and maybe _someone_ please review...? (puppy-dog eyes.) Thanks anyway!

A Good Friend Makes a Better Tomorrow (Sappy, huh? xD I could NOT come up with anything! Grr...)

Candace stepped onstage with her group and began running through handwritten lines immediately. Troy sat up in his chair, hands folded, expectantly grinning. A few seats down and four rows back, Stan watched, pinching at his watch, focusing on not fingering the itchy thread bracelet on his right wrist.

"Good morning."

"Oh. Hello. How long have you been awake?"

"I dunno! But, if you keep this up, I won't be able to STAY awake!" Troy rudely hooted.

Candace glared. "Troy, we put our hearts and souls into this, how could you say that to me and these little kids?"

"They aren't little kids and they need to be able to handle criticism." Some of the children's eyes welled up as they crowded behind Candace.

"_Criticism_? That's just plain ruthless! Troy, since when were you a critic-?"

"I wasn't finished! ... I want my group to actually WIN. Those inexperienced kids may suck, but that doesn't explain you. God, you have so little talent, I wonder how you ever got on to Broadway!"

Candace gasped and marched down to him, nearly upsetting the curtains. "Troy, I'd like to see _you_ up on a stage and act for a living, being judged by thousands of people. It's not a piece of cake. It takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and ambition, and frankly, I don't think you have the balls enough to do it! I was okay when you decided not to take a part in this, I was okay when you attacked my size, but my _acting_? Troy, that's just low and… and we're through!" Before leaving, she slapped him hard and then ran out of the main cabin in tears. Stan heard a tiny snap as she was yelling out that speech, but ignored it.

'We're through!...' Bumbled around in his head as he continued looking on in shock.

"What're _you_ looking at?" Troy snapped at Stan. He was ignored.

'They're through?... They're through... They're through!' He stood up to follow her, and heard a small chink on the green wooden floor, simultaneous with a feeling that a heavy, painful burden had just been lifted off his wrist and heart.

His wrist?

Stan checked his right hand to see it bare. Looking at the floor, he saw that the bracelet had fallen off. It had finally fallen off!

Stan remembered making the thing in Arts 'N Crafts after a few of the girls in his group had explained how to make one and told him all the rules that went along with it in pure interest, but now... He almost regretted making the bracelet, or maybe the wish that had gone on its fabric as he tied it tightly. He tried remembering his exact words as he thought of that day.

"Now see, as you tie it on, you have to make a wish," Cynthia said.

"And you have to tie it tight," Sally added. "So it doesn't fall off until it's ready."

" 'Cuz when it falls, that's when your wish will come true. The wait makes it feel all the more better!" exclaimed Donna.

"Um... Okay," Stan remembered saying.

"Oh! And don't pull at it!"

"Don't take it off for showers or going to bed!"

"Don't tie it too loose!" Cynthia took the two ends and pulled harder. "Too tight?"

"No. It's fine."

"_Make a wish_!"

"Okay..." He closed his eyes as if actually thinking about it.

'I wish Candace would come to her senses and see that Troy is cruel, that she's made a mistake by dating him, and that she'll break up with him as a result of this and will learn from this lesson so she can find someone better...'

Snapping out of his flashback, Stan gasped. He never said anything regarding her feelings! This was all his fault!

He then realized that it was dinnertime and that everyone had already left a while before. Once he walked in the Mess Hall, he saw Candace slumped over her light (compared to usual) tray. She didn't look angry anymore, just really sad. They ate in silence. Stan thought it was funny how she never skipped a meal, even at times like these.

That night, it stormed. Everyone was sleeping peacefully except for Candace. Stan knew about her fear of storms and walked over to her as soon as he remembered this, after waking up from a loud clap of thunder.

"Hey, need any company?" he asked gently, kneeling down. He took some strands of her hair and pushed them away from her scared face. She weakly smiled up at him, nodding as she trembled. "God, you shake a lot," he said, chuckling a bit, watching both beds quake.

"Like, tell me about it!" Sandy said drowsily from the bunk above, giggling as her brother crawled into Candace's, getting her in a protective embrace as she clung to him, weeping.

After a while, from listening to his heart's beating, Candace let her eyelids droop from the heaviness of them and her heart. They felt lighter now because she was around somebody who actually cared for her.

'My buddy...' she thought admiringly, falling asleep.


	41. Do You Love Me?

Disclaimer: Gosh, it's been so long, I'm not sure how this is supposed to go anymore! Umm... Nah! Just kidding. Of course I know how a disclaimer goes! And this one is for Salute Your Shorts! Which I miraculously own. Yay! And it's in the section of Hamtaro, which I do not own. Boo! XD

Author's Note: Ohhhhhh! It's sooooo goooood to beeeeee baaaaaaack! XD But, this is probably going to be the last chapter added for quite a looooooooong tiiiiiiime. Since I'm involved in soccer and school full load now since I didn't want a study hall, I've been so busy. That, and somehow, this came to me during Geometry and it's the only thing that I've thought of at all in such a long, long time! Months even! I'm really happy, even though this chapter isn't one of the best, I bet. Oh well. I'm happy. At least I could finally write _something_! And, well, this short will probably be a bit longer than the rest, but not long enough to be 'long johns' again. XD Gosh, I missed this. Thing was, I just couldn't do it anymore and it made me very depressed. Remember when I was spitting out chapters like that? (snaps fingers) Ah, those were the days. Anyhow, I'd like to thank all of you infinitely for being so patient with my inexcusable, far long-overdue -like eight months, yeah?- update that wasn't really all that worth waiting for and also for reading this up until now and hopefully sticking around. I know I'm not even close to being the best authoress out there, but a handful of simple reviews would be nice. Even a "Good job" or "Whoot!" will do, I guess. Otherwise, I'll get all 'emo' again and not update and maybe even quit. Well, I already did, so ya know... LOL Anyway, enjoy everyone! Thank you so much for just being here for me this whole time! I love you! Mwah! (Wow, that last part seemed a bit thick! Didn't mean to scare you all! Don't leave, please!!! XD) And, well... I have to apologize to Cherrie-Sakura and Matt TH for getting them all worked up about my leaving. It still stands, though, and I'm sorry. This may very well be the last thing I write here. I'm hoping not, but the way things have gone, I'm just not sure anymore. (sighs) And, one last, but very, very special note! Everyone, thank my new Beta reader Hollywood Knight for helping me along with this since Elric24 has been busy since... well, last year! Now I'm not editing solo anymore! Yay! So, I really, really appreciate it, HK. Love ya. Mwah! (winks)

Chapter Forty-One: Do You Love Me?

"Cappyyyy..." Penelope whined, still clutching the chuckling man's arm. "Give it back! I don't know why you've been acting so childish lately. I mean, just because we were here as kids, doesn't justify you behaving like o-"

"Okay, okay. Gosh, just put a sock in it," he blurted in a cold tone, not exactly meaning it so harshly. Penelope looked taken aback even as he gruffly returned her pen. The yellow glitter on it flickered luminously in the dying morning's sun, as did her broadening tears.

The young woman whimpered out her next sentences. "... Cappy... _Why_? Why are you being like this? What's wrong with you? Is it just being here again? Is that it? You were fine before we got here, so that has to be..." Trailing off, she allowed a few large tears to be shed as she sniffled the rest into hiding, rubbing her rough light jacket's sleeve to her velvety cheek. Her beau was silent, so she filled the gap of conversation with her own wavy voice. "D-do you... not _love_ me anymore?" The last part was squeaked out and, sobbing, she strode away without an answer. Getting answers like that out of him had always been a struggle, she'd discovered early on.

-

"Just like, do it, Penny!" Sandy enthusiastically squawked for the fifth time to the hesitating little girl.

"W-well, what do I say, Ookwee?"

"Umm..." Josie pondered, stroking her chin with a chubby thumb. "Just... '_Do you like me_?' That's it."

"Ohh..." The younger girl said, jotting it down at a snail's pace on a slip of pink stationary her older sister lent to her from the care package their parents had mailed. She received a memo book instead in hers, but wanted the paper to look presentable instead of such a standard white piece with pale blue lines and a red margin, plus, the paper was so little as well and she wanted it nice and big, so Pashmina had given it to her, threatening that she'd better not mess up because it was the only one she would get.

"Ooh la la! Penelope 'as a crush!" Bijou cooed happily.

Penelope blushed slightly, only on the last part of the word 'like', when Candace quickly added, "Put 'Yes or no', too."

"Why?" The girl picked up her head in confusion.

The brunette giggled a bit bitterly as a response.

"Because," Mecca began for the other girl. "Boys are lazy and you do not want to make him think too much as he attempts to scribe something back as a reply. Hmph."

"Umm... Actually..." Candace started. "He lost his last pen and broke a few of mine and no one in his cabin trusts him enough to let him borrow one of theirs, even Panda!" She sweat dropped as Mecca laid an intense glare on her. "Or yours could be right, too, ya know..." Cower.

"But, anyway, babe, just go with it," Josie calmly encouraged. Because she was the eldest of the girls in their group of Hams, Penelope trusted her and also Pashmina the most.

"Ookyoo." Penelope nervously wiped off a bit of sweat from her forehead.

Her sister slapped her own forehead, laughing.

"It's 'Okay', Pen."

"Teehee."

"Hey, it's so almost lunchtime. Like, let's go wash up, gals," Sandy suggested.

"Alright," a chorus of her friends said back. Penelope ceased her writing and crammed the note into her back pocket after folding it into a little square and trailed after.

"I'll finish this later," she happily murmured to Anna, who walked next to her. The shy girl smiled in response.

"Y-e-s o-r n-o..." the child whispered as her fingers diligently moved her tightly-gripped pen across the semi-wrinkled page. With each inked letter, her heart quickened. She flushed from under her covers in the bottom bunk. Night had fallen already by then, and all the other girls in her cabin were deep in slumber. The only companion awake was her flashlight, but it's light was dimming in tiredness. Perhaps the crickets outside, too, chanting for her to be brave. Penelope gulped and placed a tiny heart, followed by her initials, 'P.S.'. It was over for now and she turned off her flashlight, drowsy already herself.

"Cappy!"

"Hm?" The boy looked puzzled as the breakfast roll in his hand had been replaced with some pink bundle Penelope shoved in there. He wanted to shout 'hey!' in anger, but she'd not given him enough time.

"Bye!" She shot out of the mess hall, leaving him ruffling his green ball cap around on his head.

After quickly opening the note, the boy's eyes widened, causing chatter at his bench directed to him.

"What'd it say?" Howdy asked. Cappy pulled his hat over his reddened face, sliding the note to his friend. "H'oh, partner! Who sent _this_?"

"Penny." Though muffled, the name came out clear as a bell. He slowly took it back and readied to circle with a stolen counselor's pencil.

"No!" some yelled.

"What?"

"You can't make it _obvious_..." Stan hissed. "Keep the little lady guessing. She'll want you more." The rest stared at him oddly. Stan shrugged. "It's what my dad says!"

"Well, how do I not make it obvious? I mean, she gave me two things. What? I write in a third?" Cappy jeered, still confused. Panda and Dexter poked at the paper on the word 'or'. Cappy circled it and folded it back up, stowing it away in his cap.

"Good thinkin', my men!" Stan hooted, smacking both of their shoulders.

"Um... Here!" Vice versa happened when Cappy returned the note, though he'd dashed away quicker than she.

Penelope timidly unfolded it in happy dread and gasped, getting red from anger. "That brat!" she huffed, marching to the other girls. "What do I do _now_?" she said, crying. The others glared in disgust by Cappy's reply and Pashmina spoke up with a thoughtful expression.

"Put a slash, maybe." She did.

"_Do you like me? _

_Yes / no_."

It came back with the slash circled.

"GRR!" she scoffed, on the verge of tears.

"Leave it blank," Anna quietly advised. She did that too.

"_Do you like me?_

_Yes no_."

It was given back with the empty spot circled.

"Noooooo... No no no no NO!" Penelope threw a fit. Mecca looked just about ready to hit her.

"Make eet one beeg vord," Bijou said. She gave it a try.

"_Do you like me?_

_Yesno_."

She received it with the whole thing circled.

"Is he _that_ dumb!" she shouted.

"Just don't put anything!" Anisha yelled, frustrated for her pal.

So, Penelope gave that idea an attempt. By now, Pashmina's stationary looked like a battlefield of scribbled graffiti and only a little bit of room on it was left.

"**Do you like me**?"

It came back one last, final time.

"Maybe." it said, making her weep.

Now, wasn't _that_ obvious?

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Well, all. That's it for now. Maybe even a while, so thanks for reading. Please review. Please? I don't want to resort to begging here... xP


	42. No More X's, Please

Disclaimer: (can't come up with anything awesome) Yeah. Sorta obvious after fourty-one chapters and seven fics that I don't own Hamtaro, but just for the record, I don't own Hamtaro. XD

Author's Note: Well, hey there everyone! It just dawned on me that I updated last chapter on the exact one-year anniversary of this story! Whoot! (gets some noise makers out) Sad thing is though, no one reviewed. Way to go, everyone. Nice to know you're there. (sighs) Listen, if you seriously want me to quit this to save further humiliation and ungratifying work, then please either say so in a review or a PM. I don't want to be so, but getting no feedback is making me kinda bitter. I mean, how would you feel if no one but one main person (who I am VERY grateful for!) commented? It don't feel too good, I'll tell you. So please, if you want me out of here, say so and I'll go. If you do actually care, say something. Anything. I'm not hard to please at all. I know I have ghost readers and I'd like to thank all of you infinitely. Without you, I wouldn't have 1,667 hits to this one right now. But, please don't be shy like me and say something! (Sorry for being a hypocrite...) I'm close to begging here! Or crying! Or maybe even both! Hahaha! But, this is too sad of a thing to talk about so I'll move on! I hope you all like this one. It's very hard for me to get something written lately, so when I can, I put more of my heart into it. I always try to and I hope it shows, but I dunno. Please, just keep reading, enjoy, and should I even waste space? Yes. Review. (sigh)  
Thanks a million, all! You're great! And, another big thanks to HK again for Betaing! (beams) It's good to have a Beta again, but even better to have him as it! lol

Chapter Forty-Two: OOOO (No More X's, Please)

Hamtaro's head was bent down slightly; the shadow of his bangs covered his eyes to hide his disappointment.

"Oh non..." a tiny drear-soaked voice came from deep within the certain female in his presence.

"I'm really sorry, Bijou," he apologized. "I wish I could be your date for the counselors' ball, but me and Oxy have to take our group out to the woods that night."

"C'est d'accord..." she sighed. "C'est la vie..."

They trudged in silence to the cabin. The young man didn't even ask what she'd meant this time.

For the remainder of the evening, Bijou moped. Now what? She'd had her heart ser on this night! Couldn't he have checked the schedule beforehand to see that his group had to go camping instead of telling her he could go and was available?! For once, could he not be foolish?! Usually, he begin a fool had its charm. It was cute. But not this time! Teary-eyed, she thought about how they were supposed to dance the night away. They were supposed to be close. To feel the other's body near to their own. They were supposed to have fun, enjoying the time with all their friends around. **They were supposed to kiss at midnight!**

But, _now_ ... It was all a dream.

"Hmph," she exhaled. 'Hmph' fit.

That proceeding late, afternoon- the day of the ball- in sticky heat, the Hams gathered to see Oxnard and Hamtaro off by the driveway.

"Bye-Q, all! Have fun at the party!" Oxnard called from the driver's seat.

"Bye bye!" Everyone else called. The orange-and-white patterned man was oddly quiet. All he did was wave slowly, string at Bijou in melancholly and guilt. She looked away. He averted his gaze to his feet then. She looked back up shortly after, but they were already gone.

A tear wanted to fall. Now _she_ had been foolish.

If it weren't for the other girls, Bijou wouldn't be there, sitting in her lonely corner where the lights refused to shine in the row of chairs against the wall. She stared off dreamily, wishing to free herself from this forced wall-flowerism. Perhaps by a specific young man- one who would fly her away, to sway across the dance floor; which was ratty old hardwood that had as so it seemed magically became gorgeous under the lights.

Troy walked past, causing the woman to bristle a little. Despite being in the darkest spot, her lovely white hair and porceilin complexion made her glow. The thing now by her had obviously noticed.

"Hey." He smiled.

"Erm. 'Ello."

"You look kinda sad."

Her expression hardened.

"I-I'm vine."

"K. Well, you had a letter in your box. Might wanna check it." Troy shrugged, strutting away. Everyone noticed he'd been nicer since the break-up with Candace. She let out a relieved sigh, so he didn't want a dance. But, her heart sped up at the thought of the letter- who it was from, what it may be concerning... She needed the excuse to get away from the fun she'd been ruining anyway, so she left, not forgetting to check the clock.

11:09.

Once at the camp office, she checked again. It had taken her six minutes to get there. She pulled from her slot the envelope Troy had reported and saw in red, blocky letters: OPEN AT MIDNIGHT. Impatient, at eleven thirty, she tore it open, only to see another envelope. '_Not_ _yet_.' It read. She waited this time.

Back at the main buildng where the ball was, Bijou slouched on the porch floor, awaiting twelve o' clock to hit. At 11:58 she opened it. A small object fell out and onto the slightly dewy grass at her feet. She picked up the little foil-covered, rounded triangle with two fingers and moved where there was light.

'_Here's your midnight kiss, Bij. Don't be sad anymore._

_-Hamtaro'_

Twisting the tiny chocolate around by its paper, she recognized 'Hershey's' was crossed out and written in its place 'Bijou's'.

Her heart had never felt such extremes before: heavy with longing, light with gleed. She finally allowed that tear to fall from this confusion and looked up, at the same moon Hamtaro was probably staring at right then.

'Vill zat boy's leeps ever touch mine...?" She discovered herself smiling.


	43. Untitled

Disclaimer: I do not, nor probably ever will (since it's been canceled for some time now) own Hamtaro.

Author's Note: Well, think the AN this time will be bigger than the actual chapter, (that's why I'm putting up two) but there are some important things I need to discuss. This is to Cherrie-Sakura, and all the rest who have the courtesy to read my fics as a reply to her review to me and everyone else to seek guidance from. Cherrie, I'm not mad at you at all! I'm kinda glad you shared your thoughts with me. In fact, I could never get mad. Don't think I've ever actually gotten angry in my whole life. Well, maybe when coach hadn't put me in for four games straight, but I don't even think I was mad then. More dejected than anything. (which is how I feel from not getting much feedback, guys :/) But, maybe I did get mad after all, when I found out my dad's cheating on my mom. Nah, think I was only angry for her sake, since she wouldn't get angry herself. I'm really not that kind of person, all. I don't like to get furious. And I would never to any of you, even if you do flame. I do get aggitated, but that's different. Guess I'm too much of a weakling to actually conjur up some good old-fashioned pissed off. (sighs) But, this is way besides the point. I don't, nor ever will, hate you. Any of you. You're like a sister to me, C-S and I value everyone else who's ever said anything to me on here or at least read my work. You guys are gems that I wouldn't sell for the world. I just wish I could be as valuable to you. Anyway, to answer your first question, Cherrie, I don't finish this story now because there is still some left to do. I need to tie up some loose ends and I have a few plans to start a mini flashback part, which I didn't want to spill now, but now you all know why I'm still writing. I really hope you still read on. And another thing: I don't like doing things for myself! I don't like people doing much for me. Never did. I don't want to be selfish. I'd much rather do things for other people! But, yeah. Writing's a different case, you're completely right. And you had every right to tell me what you did. I'm sure you spoke for a lot of my ghost-readers, too. But... I don't use this site to boost my ego. I came here just to read and then later on because I wanted to see how I could do as a writer after seeing some outstanding works. I couldn't compete, obviously. Great writers get tons upon tons of reviews. "Good" writers like I "am", get slightly less. I get just a few. A few that I'm really grateful for, but am still longing for more. I feel like I get the two to four regulars to review only because they feel bad or feel they need to keep saying things so that I at least get some sort of credit and continue. I don't want you guys to feel like that at all. You can stop reviewing if you really want. I don't own you! Hahaha. And, even people who tipe lyk dis get more reviews than I do. It's just very discouraging and I would never wish my fate here upon anyone of you. And the part about showing off? What do I have to really show off? XD Look at people like Celestial Night, or even newer CN! Look at Kyuuseishu Setsuna and InspiredByMiyazaki! Wolfenheim, cappyandpashy4ever, CrystalGurl 101... Sure, most of the listed ones are gone now, but I couldn't ever get as good as them! That's why I keep trying! That's why I feel such discouragement after posting a new chapter and getting no reviews, still hoping naively for weeks after that someone out there will say something. I beat myself up to do well. The absolute best I can. And for what? This vain hope that someone will comment? The hurt? No. I'm not emo. lol It's to prove my own faith in things, even if it gets crushed eventually. Cherrie, you have all the right to not continue with your story if you so wish. You have the talent enough to make people like you that much. And I'm sure some of you other readers are the same. Maybe I should approach it like I'm someone who doesn't care. That would be completely lying not only to me but all of you! I do care! I care so much! I think I even care too much! Not only about me, or my work, but all of you, whoever you are! I care about everyone! I just don't get any of that back, which is okay. I already said I don't own anyone. And I come here to practice my skills so that I CAN become published. Well, could. I don't want to be a writer anymore. I don't want to be anything at the moment. Cherrie and the rest who are still reading this I hope, the only reason/person I'm mad now is at myself. For whining and moaning all this time. For appearing as though I have a huge ego. I really don't want much, people. Just a little more. But, maybe it's good you don't give me any more. Maybe then I would become egotistic. Snobbish. Thinking I was the best. I'd much rather stay as I am now and be modest. The only reason I'm bitter is because I see all that happens around me. New people getting much more reviews than me when I've been here longer. People who don't write that well yet beating me out by miles. The greats who won't look at me. That's why I'm bitter. And I really want to replace that 'i' with an 'e'. I want to be better. Not bitter. But, when I'm constantly being let down, I can never grow. I stay small. Pushed into the corner. I'm only happy because I have people who read all my author's notes and maybe take them to heart. To make them laugh sometimes. I'm only happy that I have someone to listen to me. To read my words- fictional and real. My stories were written out of pure enjoyment. They still are. I'm just giving up on myself because I've hit a dry point where I have no new ideas, and no inspiration to go on left... No will anymore. Because I know it won't get me anywhere here. And I figure if I don't get anywhere here, then I won't make shit in the real-world. So, Cherrie-Sakura, everyone else who's caring enough to still be reading this- thank you. Not only for reading my stories, and not for saying nice things to me when you do, not even for being there for me. For showing me that I really need to lighten up or get the Hell out. But, I just want to be caring! That's how I wanted to be perceived. Not egotistic! And I'm sorry if I rubbed off that way to you all. I'm sorry for everything. My ranting, and greediness, and moping. All of the bad feelings. I apologize for all of it. And if I can't stop being me, then I'll just quit. If you don't see anything new within six months, you'll know what happened. I don't think I have the talent at all to stay anyway. I'll just make more room for you- those with real skills- to shine. No one will miss me, I'm sure. Fuck! If I were you, I wonldn't! (laughs) Perhaps I should go by the same insight as character Peter from Dodgeball from now on:

"I found that if you have a goal, that you might not reach it. But if you don't have one, then you are never disappointed." Replace "goal" with "hope", I suppose. Meh. But, same principle.

Anyway, I promise the dream's not all the way dead yet. It's just in a coma. And you guys can help bring it back. I know you can. And I only hope you will find it in your hearts to do so.You know what to do. You don't need me to tell you once again. In fact, you'll never again hear those words "Please review" from me.

Thank you. I'm not a good writer yet, but I hope you guys can stick around long enough to see the day when I finally get there.

Chapter 43: Untitled

Sandy attempted to hide the fact that she'd been ganwing on her lower lip the whole conversation, making her cringe as less noticable as possible, too by unsquinting her seemingly permanently tight eyes.

... "So, you're okay with this?"

Maxwell's voice seemed to travel from long distances to her ear.

"Huh? Oh. Sorry, Maxy. I like, totally spaced out there." Under his gaze, a tiny sweat bead tumbled downwards on the back of her already sticky neck in the early afternoon sun.

The young man frowned. "You don't want me to help out with the booth, do you? It's okay if you don't, Sandy. I'll just tell the boys you're not comfortable with me working at it and they'll be fine."

Sandy's expression hardened from its once dreamy state. "Tch. I'm sooo not the jealous sort, Maxwell. Go help. Really." She looked upon everything around them but him, keeping her eyes moving about so he wouldn't see the halfheartedness harbored in the depths of the richly green things.

The smile placed itself back on her boyfriend's face. The smile she could have worn had she not fibbed.

"Thank you, Sandy! I should have known better that you aren't that kind of girl! ...If you'd like, you can swing by to help us raise money, too..." His purposefully weak flirting only made her barely manage out a laugh when he winked.

"You're, like so silly!" They shared a quick peck on the lips.

"That one's on the house." Maxwell chuckled, giving another wink with his sparkling navy eye her way.

"Shut up." Sandy gave him a little mock shove as they began walking. It was a good feeling, to be in motion again after stiffly remaining in that _one_ quirky pose they had been in during their talking. What didn't feel so good was Sandy's heart. 'He totally better not enjoy himself too much working that like, freaking kissing booth!' she inwardly hissed, gritting her back teeth subtly.

Maybe she truly was jealous.

Maybe on that following Saturday, she'd hung around close by the kissing booth to survey what was going on from behind the cotton candy stand. Maybe she'd rampaged into it eventually. Maybe she'd yanked the girl who'd taken "a little too much" time locking lips with Maxwell and maybe just so happened to beat the crap out of her. Maybe she'd almost lost her job as camp counselor for this act of passion. Maybe even almost her boyfriend. Maybe she'd just denied it all, but the jealousy the most. Yeah. The jealousy was _so not_ there...


	44. A Bet Between Camp Sweethearts

Disclaimer: Idon'townHamtaro. I also don't own Michelle Branch's "One of These Days", which I absolutely adore and wish I'd be that genius. :3

AN: I thought of the idea Christmas of '06, wrote it out late in spring, and did the final revision of it just today. Yeah. Dunno what makes this one so important, but whatever. It's not that special. Thank you for reading.

Chapter 44- A Bet Between Camp Sweethearts

Howdy stared into Stan's narrowed eyes. Stan glared back at him just as hotly as they stood alone in the side yard of the camp.

"Okay…"

"You really think?"

"Mmhm. Y'all know it!"

"Well, I can do that!"

"So can ah!"

"Oh really?"

"Really!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"How 'bout by nine?"

"We'd be a-rollin' in the grass by then! Yuk Yuk Y-"

"So would we!"

"Ah say we make it seven!"

"Eight!"

"Eight-thirty!"

"Sold!"

"Fine!"

"Alright!"

"It's a bet! Whoever gets kissed by their old little camp flame wins."

"Okay!"

"Now, how much're we talkin' here?"

"Ugh… Twenty bucks?"

"Consider it already mine! … Now, pucker up, bud!"

"You know, Howdy, that sounded totally wrong…" Stan said blandly, laughing.

"Fer yer girl!" Howdy concluded flustered.

They shook on it.

So, that's how Stan got himself into this mess. A stupid bet. An old 'girlfriend'. He could do this. Right? His heart began to thud harder against his chest as he looked at his watch yet again. Candace giggled.

"What? Have to be back in the cabin before you turn into a pumpkin, Standerella?" she teased. He looked back up and smiled, strained. It was eight 'o five.

Continuing to drag his naked toes across the refreshingly icy lake and causing small ripples, he looked down at his reflection, then up to the clear, crisp night sky. His eyes began to scan the lake and its wavy, mirror-like surface as it replicated the moon beautifully, despite its many tiny waves.

The hardwood, splintering surface of the dock on which they sat began to grow uncomfortable to Stan. He slid down toward the edge a bit more and submerged his whole feet, up to his ankles, before speaking again.

"I remember when we spent our last summer here… You always made me laugh with the stuff you did." It was a random thought that needed to get out, he decided.

Candace looked back at him, sitting cross legged, Indian-style. She giggles a little and stopped playing with her own bare feet to ask: "Like what?"

He smiled fondly, in return. "Like say gross stuff at the dinner table, or make fart noises with your armpits, join us guys in spitting and belching contests- and win half the time… Geez! You were more of a boy than _me_!"

Her grin enlarged and shone as brightly as the fake moon Stan had been staring at. Her laughter became more strong until it faded away once again and all was quiet. Candace joined him and stared into the night, mainly the almost cloudless sky.

"Remember the last time we were alone, watching stars?"

"Yeah. In that ditch where you kissed me." Stan put on a playful sour face.

"Oh, you liked it!"

"Those braces of yours could have massacred them! I feared I would no longer have lips! "

Candace giggled boisterously. "Well, you still do…"

Now things were just awkward.

"…So, how's everything in the Big Apple, city girl?"

"…Good. You, bumpkin?"

Stan rolled his eyes. "Ha. Ha… Things are cool, I guess." It was silent again. He wanted to look at his watch, but didn't.

"Um…"

"How's…"

"Maybe…"

"Well, I…" Stan checked the time. It had only been two minutes, but felt so much longer.

Candace let out an aggravated sigh. "Why are we acting so stupid now?" she asked in frustration.

Stan's face turned serious as he softly gazed into her eyes. He moved closer, gripping her hands, prying them from her feet.

"Because I'm about to kiss you…" He said directly.

And that's what he did. Afterwards, he looked at his watch and saw it was 8:17. Perfect. But, that wasn't what made him feel so happy or alive, he later realized.

_I didn't notice  
But I didn't care  
I tried being honest  
But that left me nowhere_

I watched the station  
Saw the bus pulling through  
And I don't mind saying  
A part of me left with you…

Candace looked back into his eyes as he pulled away. She looked a bit scared, touching her lips daintily with two fingers in pure shock, making Stan feel regret.

It was seven fifty-nine. Howdy looked blankly at the Angel of Death who towered over him. Tears rolled down the whole span of his face, dripped down his chin and plopped onto his shirt. These were tears he could no longer hold in or hide from her- ones of frustration, almost giving up, tears of anguish, unrequited love, of sorrow, of heartache, of-

"You are pathetic," Mecca finally snapped. "You are like a _dog_."

Howdy sniffled and dragged his arm across his face in a wiping motion as he used the other one to get himself up. Once pushed up and standing, he stomped over to her, glowering and grabbed a hold of her shoulders. Using all his might, which he found to be unnecessary, Howdy shoved her down. A rare feat.

"Yeah? Welp, yer a _bitch_!"

Her expression was a bit broken. She was deflated, sitting on the ground. The last time he was mean to her it turned out to be a turn-on. This time, nothing.

"…"

"Aren't ya gonna say nothin'?" Howdy asked, a bit afraid.

"…"

"Yer givin' meh the silent treatment, aren't ya?"

"…"

That's when Howdy realized she was breathing strangely, almost not at all. Mecca's chest was quickly drawn in every few seconds, and barely noticeable when pushed out. Howdy began to faintly chuckle. He had knocked the wind out of her! That's why she didn't talk! It was a relief in more than one way.

He approached closer and knelt down beside the tall young woman. She barely leaned against him for a minute in silence. He pulled her nearer and on to his shoulder. She wheezed quietly. They stayed still.

"I…" Howdy looked at her. She took half of his face and turned his head toward her. "…" She waited a while longer to catch her breath again, staring emptily into his squinty eyes. He would wait all night if he needed to. "I do not know about you mortals anymore."

He could tell that was it and his eyes filled to the brim with tears again.

"Mecca…?"

"…Yes?" she rasped.

"Why do ya hate meh so much?"

"…"

"Why, Mec, why?"

"…"

"…" His eyes plead saying it all.

"I- I am scared to… to love. I don't want to… hurt anyone or be hurt, I suppose…"

"Would ya if ah promised not to?"

"I do not know…"

"Would ya love meh if ah promised to help ya stop bein' scared?"

"I-I still do not-"

"Would ya even consider loving meh if ah-"

"…I will put it like this."

_So one of these days  
I won't be afraid of staying with you  
I hope and I pray  
Waiting to find a way back to you  
'Cause that's where I'm home…Oh_

With that, she began to limp away slowly on purpose.

"Wait! So, yer sayin' ah might have a shot?"

She stopped, letting him catch up, and looked at him with what was a smile for her. Her cape swung gently.

She breathed. "I am saying… Kiss me, stupid."

Howdy was taken aback in a good way and grinned toothily.

"Ah ain't gonna kiss ya _stupit_, but ah sure am gonna kiss you."

And he did.

"Candace? Candace, I'm sorry."

A small hic-up left the silently weeping girl as she bit her bottom lip and closed her eyes leaning forward and crashing into him. Her body quaked awkwardly as Stan laid a hand on her back.

"Mheh mheh."

"Shh… Candace, I'm so sorry. We can just forget this whole thing happened."

Candace snapped her head up and looked at him. Instead of a frown, she was wearing a very small smile. She took his face n her hands and said, still crying, "But, I don't want to forget."

With that, the tables turned as she laid her lips upon his.

'She's weirder than I thought…' Stan joked inwardly as he was put on his back.

_Did I make you nervous?  
Did I ask for too much?  
Was I not deserving?  
One second of your touch_

And one of these days  
I won't be afraid of staying with you  
I hope and I pray  
Waiting to find a way back to you  
'Cause that's where I'm home… Oh

"B-but… What're ya sayin', though?" Howdy asked, still confused.

Mecca let out a tiny laugh and changed her mind to tell him something different.

"I am saying…" she oddly wore a blush. Deliberately, she groped him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Their faces were near. "Kiss me again."

At that moment, Howdy obeyed, beaming and Stan smiled up at Candace.

_What would you do if I could have you?  
Oh if I could  
I'd let you feel everything I'm thinking  
Wouldn't that be nice?  
…_

_  
And one of these days  
I won't be afraid of staying with you…_

The next morning, both young men awoke blissfully, only to be slapped in the face by the reality that… both their kisses had taken place within the same moment. No one had bothered taking seconds.


	45. Old Love, New Like

Disclaimer: I don't (but I really, really wish I was the genius behind it!) own Hamtaro. Out. 

Author's Note: Well, this one isn't the best one I've written, but the idea popped into my head and I just worked with it. Haha. It's just been sooooo terribly long since I've updated pretty much everything, so I worked tirelessly all weekend since I had a snow day to add new installments to all of my in-progress works. Really hope you all still like it! Thank you so much for still reading even though this thing is so long and it's been nearly a year since I last wrote for this!

Chapter 45- Old Love, New Like

Boss sprayed on some cologne half-heartedly. It was the very same he had on his last night with Josie. He should have thrown it out by now, or gone to the store and bought a different kind today, but he had to lead his and Howdy's group to the river to go canoing, help Pashmina take hers on a hike, and cook lunch because one of the chefs was ill.

He still should have squeezed in the time, though. He had promised himself that summer and all the summers before since their falling out that he would let go of her, yet it never seemed to completely happen. Part of his heart (a large portion, actually) would always love her. Even if all he had left was a few old photos and that bottle of cologne he'd worn on their final date, their last few hours together.

A lump began to form in Boss' throat as he thought of that evening.

Josie.

How sexy she'd looked in his old button-up shirt. He felt his heart sink at how this cologne would no longer belong to that last night with her, but rather a first night with Brittany.

The young man sighed. Of course Brittany was a lovely girl, but the connection between she and him seemed rather shallow. The only thing they had in common was that they both were two very lonely souls who needed each other's companionship. It wouldn't last, he knew. This was just something to get him through the says and over the heartache of losing Josie.

Josie.

Ah, he should have asked her to marry him, but he didn't. They were too young back then anyway. But, maybe it would have given them a reason to stay with each other… Keep her near…

Boss finished this thought when he finished combing out his jet black hair and promptly walked out the door. His footsteps were almost as loud as the slamming screen door with their heaviness. He wanted to run back to it and lay in his bunk, but he had an obligation. He left the camp the shortest way he could. Everywhere he went in this place had something that reminded him of her, some bittersweet memory, and he couldn't bear to remember anything like that that evening.

When he had finally left the campgrounds, he took his time to get to the plaza down the road because he figured she would get lost on the way , being a fellow non-native. To his surprise though, a rental car pulled into the parking lot at the same time he walked up the hill to the expanse of asphalt by the strip of buildings. When he looked closely enough, he could see a brunette lady driving with very big sunglasses which covered nearly half of her somber face and behind her, a giddy redhead he identified right away as Brittany, hopping around in the back seat.

She stepped half-way out of the car when it came to a stop and waved him over.

"Boss! Come on! Let's go have some fun!" the girl yelled. "You can sit with me in the back!" she added.

Her cutesy smile was almost too happy and Boss' mouth mimicked it varyingly as to not make hers fade away. He slowly walked over to the other side of the car and opened the door, sliding in next to the petite redhead. All the while the woman in the front kept facing straight ahead.

"Hi," Boss said shyly, clearing his throat.

"Hey!" the girl replied and the car started up again without hesitation.

The woman in the front never once turned around to greet him or say anything. Now that he was nearer, Boss could see she had dark red stripes in her hair and at her tips as well. He thought it was definitely interesting. Something told him he knew her, but by the looks of it, he'd never seen this person before. His thoughts were broken by a small tap on his wrist by the girl next to him.

Brittany giggled at seeing his startled face and said: "Boss, before we go, I would like to introduce you to our chauffeur for the evening, my captain… Josie Myrede."

Josie...


End file.
